Danganronpa Plus: Systems of Despair! Shop For Ultimate Zetsubou!
by CaptainPancakes
Summary: Sequel to DR -1, 1, and 2. How long has it been since despair last struck the world? Hope is rebuilding itself from the rubble that despair caused so long ago with the Malefaction. But despair has it's secrets. They are striking back against the world with their final struggle for despair, and 16 students once again finds themselves trapped in despair's deadly game. Please review!
1. Prologue I: Heartbreaking Despair

…_1_

…_2_

_...3_

…_**CLEAR!**_

I wonder what was happening to me.

…_1_

…_2_

…_3_

…_**CLEAR!**_

…

I could just barely make out those words. They were slowly counting up the numbers as if they were preparing for something important… Like a surprise birthday party. Yeah, not like I've ever had one… But it was the same concept.

…_1_

_...2_

…_3_

…_**SURPRISE!**_

I was in darkness. Looking around me, I was enveloped in nothing _except_ darkness. Death's blankets wrapped itself around me and made me dance in his palm. It definitely felt like that. It definitely felt like I was acting as a pawn for Death's excitement. I grabbed at my chest and tugged. There was a definite heaviness inside that I couldn't describe. Was it heaviness? Or was it actually pain?

I didn't know, of course. I was still wrapped in that darkness. I was still **dying.** I smiled at the thought of dying. All my life, I was waiting for something like this to happen. Is it happening now, I thought? Or is it going to avoid me again? Like the three times I survived something like this. I hoped that it would end. This awful torment from God.

Why was I born like this?

Being born like _this_ never got me anywhere.

In life… it's just pain, isn't it? Pain… Pain leads to utter despair… I wanted to feel death's despair wrap itself around me… Swallow me whole; put me out of my misery! I screamed to the people watching above, inside my swelling darkness.

I wanted to leave.

…_1_

…_2_

…_3_

…_**CLEAR!**_

I woke up with a jolt.

I was in a surgery room in a hospital. There were people looking at me. Smiling faces all around as people laughed and hugged each other.

"She pulled through!" one doctor said.

"Good work everybody!" said another.

I looked around. That's right. I remember now. I was here because I had another heart-attack, wasn't I? And yet, I escaped Death's grip again. How? How did I miss it a third time? I was in despair… despair, despair, despair, despair, despair…

Now, I guess I should have mentioned this was all in the past. Cut three days from that point, and I'm still hospitalized, recovering as better than ever. I saw people over by the side filming me for my documentary.

You know those lame documentaries you see on TLC about people with extreme disorders or tragedies? Well, I'm the butt of one. Rumiko Funabashi - the super magical heart attack girl who survived a now total three times. It's amazing, isn't it? It's like people are waiting for my death, only to present it to the world and make people cry. I was glad and all that I could inspire people, really. But this was terrible in all aspects. I didn't want to be Princess Fluff born with only one foot.

"Rumiko!" my mother called. "Come quick! Wait, no, you can't, I'll come to you!"

As bright as ever, I see.

"It's great news!" my mother said, running towards me at full speed.

"What is, mama?" I asked. I was forced to say mama in front of the cameras. Even as a sixteen year old girl, I needed to preserve my innocence.

"You've been invited!"

"Where, mama?" 

"Hope's Peak Academy!"

I gasped. Hope's Peak Academy? For what?

"How, mama?" I asked, with an honest confusion rising from my voice.

"Hope's Peak Academy invited you to come because of your inspiring story!"

"You mean the story you developed?" I asked. "I didn't want to be filmed by all these freaks."

"This makes good money, darling," my mother said. "Anyways, as soon as you are released from the hospital, we're going to Hope's Peak Academy! Oh my, this is so cute! You even get your own title for attending there!"

A title? I've heard about it online.

All these talented kids that attend Hope's Peak Academy get some sort of Super Highschool Level Title. It's a way to recognize how the kids got into the school and appreciate them even more. But I didn't have any talent at all. I didn't do sports – heart wasn't good for that. I'm not that smart – can never catch a break to study because of all the cretins filming every time I take a shit. All I did was "inspire the world with my fantastic story about heartbreak and survival."

"What's my title?" I asked, suddenly serious, taking no mind to the cameramen.

"It's so cute!" my mom said, once again. "You're going to go as the **Super Highschool Level Survivor!**"

…

That's how I got here. Now you can cut fourteen days into the future. I'm standing outside of Hope's Peak Academy, dropped off by my mom. The cameramen are waiting outside.

"Back off, Kenny," I said. "You're way too close."

"M-my apologies," Kenny stuttered. His Japanese is as good as always.

I looked at the tall towering building that seemed to overshadow me. At first, I didn't think about going. I denied the request at the spot, and my mother was terrorized with shame. I didn't even want to go and compare myself to some others. It would be awful for me – I wasn't even good at making any friends because I didn't have to time to develop that important thing that adults call "social skills."

But suddenly… I felt a purge, of something.

I'm not sure what it was.

Because all my life, it's just been despair.

Despair of my disease. Despair of being followed and having my life paraded on by the media. So what was this feeling I didn't recognize? My biggest question was whether or not I'd find my answer by stepping into those intimidating doors.

"Well, go on, Rumiko!" Kenny said. "We're right behind you!"

I nodded to myself, and headed inside. I opened the doors, and stepped inside.

"You can do this, Rumiko," I said to myself. "Just make friends. Try. Have some… Hope."

Hope. How could I have hope when my whole life was swarmed with despair? 

With that final disturbing thought, I opened my eyes, and everything began to turn foggy.

"W…what's going on?" I muttered to myself. "K-Kenny?"

It wasn't enough to say his name. I turned around, and looked at the outside. Kenny was getting further and further, and my vision blurred even more. What was going on?

What was happening?

Before I could answer myself… I fainted. My heart beat slower… and slower… and slower…

…

…

"_Hey!"_

…

"_Are you awake?"_

…

"_You're not going to ignore me, are you?"_

…

"_Oh, fine. You're falling back asleep. I'll just… wait for you, then."_

…

…

_**DANGANRONPA+…SYSTEMS OF DESPAIR**_

…

…

_**STARTING NOW. REBOOT… … 100%**_

_**GRAPHICS… …100%**_

_**MODELS… …100%**_

_**TOTAL PROGRESS… …100%**_

"Upupupu! Looks like the game is on now! How badly will these group of students despair? Ah! I could only wonder! Who's going to die? Who's going to live?"

**(AN: Welcome to Danganronpa+! It's been only several days since I finished my other project, so starting this now seems extremely early, huh? Well, I've spent a lot of my free-time planning out the plotting of the story. I wing everything, so I write as I go along. But I have a good outline of what's going to happen and who's going to die.**

**That being said, if my finale or any of my trials resembles any other story on or whatever, it is **_**purely coincidental.**_** I do not mean to "copy," and I will not copy. This whole story was made purely off my imagination.**

**This probably won't be a daily update story like Danganronpa -1 was. First reason being that if I did make it daily, I'd rush myself, and the flow of the story (IMO) would get corrupted. Now my policy is if I get bored of writing, I take a break until my conviction turns back on. That way I can make the story as best as possible. Second reason is time, since school has started and I have not as much free-time as I did during the summer. That's not to say there won't be periods of time that I do bring daily updates, or hell, even two updates in a single day. If I have free-time, I might be writing, and I might get an excess of chapters. **

**In Danganronpa -1, I did a few things that I'm doing differently here. I made (ab)normal days into (n)everyday life, and I'm changing it back to (ab)normal days. Second, I'm not going to put (ab)normal days in one chapter like last time. One (ab)normal days will be spread across multiple chapters, similar to most other Fan-Fictions. Or it might not. Who knows. There are other tweaks as well. **

**Next chapter I'm going to start a "Soundtrack Addition." I bring ****the names of**** OST from the game and other anime I feel fits with the mood of the story. If you open up a number of tabs and search Youtube for that OST name, it'll come up. I'll explain it better on my next update, but it's going to be similar to Orenren's LP of SDR2 where he links to the soundtrack and you can play it while reading it if you please. If you don't, that's fine as well. The only difference is I can't link it because doesn't let me add hyperlinks or URLs (they get cut off) so reading the story with the Soundtrack Addition can be very troublesome.**

**I'm hopeful that this story will be better than DR -1, but of course I can't expect that much right now. Hope you enjoy!**

**P.S., this story does benefit off you reading DR -1, but since I don't want to force anyone who hasn't read DR -1, you ****are not required to read DR -1. ****Elements of DR -1 will be in this story, but for the main gist of the plot, you will not need to know DR -1 in depth. **

**That's about it. I hope you guys have fun reading it! I know I'll have fun writing it!)**


	2. Prologue II: Shopping for Despair

**AN: For this story, I'm going to reply directly to the reviews, because I feel bad when people leave a review or comment on my story and I don't respond. Because I'm thankful for each and every one!**

**AnimesWorld: Thanks a lot! I'm glad you're going to be following this story! I can't tell you the timeframe between SDR2 and this story, because… well… you'll see. Maybe. It's spoilerish so it's best if I don't say it. One thing though, if I do an SYOC, it's unrelated to this storyline. I might do an SYOC during or after this story, and I might not. It all depends. If I start one while I am doing Danganronpa Plus it will be second priority, meaning that I will work on DR+ and care for it more than the SYOC. Not saying that SYOCs are bad, but I prefer to develop my characters myself because I'm more inclined to work on my story that way. I don't know what I'm going to call it either. It has to relate with the storyline, I guess.**

**Mr. Monokuma and Ibuki Mioda: Aww, sorry about your laptop! Thanks for the comment, and I hope I won't let you down with this story. **

**Also, this chapter starts the "Soundtrack Attack." When you see the name of a certain track from an OST, just copy and paste the title on Youtube and it should come up. If it doesn't, well, I can't help you there, lol. **

**Enjoy!**

"_Hey…"_

…

"_Are you awake?"_

…

"_I guess you're still not, huh? Damn, you take long to wake up, don't you?"_

…Who was that? My eyes were still closed and I felt that my heart was still aching. Yet someone seemed to be talking to _me._ Why me? I'm just some boring girl, aren't I? Should I open my eyes? Should I greet this face who seemed to be talking to me? What if it was a trick? I could feel my lip cringe at the aching of my heart, and the uncertainty of what was happening right now. I felt around me. I was in some sort of hospital bed – I must be in the infirmary after fainting

"I know you're awake now," the voice said. It was a guy. He had a rough voice, but it was comforting. "Why won't you open your eyes?"

"It's… too bright," I excused.

"I know that's bull," the voice sighed. "C'mon, I want to see your eyes!"

My eyes? Why would you want to see my eyes?

"Why would you want that?" I asked. "I'm nothing special."

"I'm not so sure about that," the voice said. "You should at least introduce yourself to me. We _are_ going to be classmates from now on."

That's right. I was just going to Hope's Peak. I was standing outside the door, and then I walked in. Did I faint?

"You fainted too, didn't you?" the voice asked me. "That's why you're lying down in that bed, right? You fainted, didn't you?" 

He fainted too?

"H-How did you know?" I asked, my eyes still closed shut, untrusting of anyone.

"Because I did too," the voice said, sighing. "I think we all did."

Everyone fainted coming to the school? It wasn't just me?

I thought about this more, and what just happened to me flashed right in front of my eyes. It seemed like I was dying when I fainted. I remember my heart feeling like it was going to burst into a million pieces. I wonder what happened to Kenny? Even though I knew he was an asshole, he should be with me, right? He's supposed to film me as I attend this school.

"Where's Kenny?" I asked.

"Who's that?" asked the voice, confused. "No one here but you and me right now."

"W-what? There wasn't anyone who came with me, though?"

"No, just you," the voice said. "Never mind that though, can you at least open your eyes? It's a little annoying now that you can't see me."

"…Alright," I said. Why did this guy want me to open my eyes so much? I'm not special at all. Whatever this guy was saying to me – I thought that he was joking. He was clearly lying. So when I open my eyes, he'll be some jerk, laughing at me, and faking the whole thing, making a mockery out of me. I'm certain of it. I opened my eyes, slowly and cautiously, and what was waiting for me was a smiling face. It wasn't a face of trickery or anything like that. It was… what was it? Was it the face of someone kind? Because I've never seen someone like that in my entire life, surrounded by cameras and bullying.

"Finally, you opened your eyes!" he said. "Wow, you're pretty, aren't you?"

I blushed. "I don't know. I've never had someone tell me that."

"Glad I could be the first," he said with a smiling face. "My name is Junichi Goto."

Junichi Goto? I heard that name before. He was some sort of inspiring hero who stood up to a bully. Tons of people love him because he wasn't afraid to stick up for himself. Is that how he got into the school?

_**JUNICHI GOTO**_

_Super Highschool Level Righteousness_

_**Talent ID: **__"In showing extreme courage towards standing up to a bully and inspiring the world with his strength, he has been allowed to take the title of SHSL Righteousness."_

_**Appearance: **__Junichi is rather muscular, with red hair, and seems like someone who would be popular at a regular school, though in reality, he's been bullied nearly his entire life. _

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Days (Piano Arrange)_

"Yup, that's me," Junichi said, scratching his head. "I'm not exactly proud of my title since it seems sort of boring, you know? I'm not special at all."

I didn't say anything, and I only looked at my surroundings. It was a fantastic infirmary, if I say so myself. I've been in a lot, and they were just regular school nurse offices. This took that to a whole new step. It looked like a newly renovated hospital.

"Hey, I recognize you," he said suddenly. "You're Rumiko Funabashi, aren't you?" 

I nodded, still not saying a word.

"You're so awesome!" he said, brightening his face like a star. "You're amazing! I can't believe that you survived that many heart-attacks! You're so inspiring!"

I sighed, and looked at Junichi with a grim face.

"Are you lying?"

"Of course not!" he said with a shocked face. "You need to open up a little more!"

He sighed, and reached his hand out.

"Are you okay to walk?" he asked.

I studied this for a second. If I were to take his hand, it would mean that I'm placing my trust in him. But I'm being real here. I'm not trusting anyone. That was my resolve when I came here to this school. I came to this school for the purpose of fulfilling my job. But it did seem like he genuinely wanted me to trust him.

"I don't need help," I said, struggling out of my bed. I tripped and nearly fell on my face, until Junichi got me by his arms.

"The hell you are," he said. "You need my help." He smiled, and put my arm around his neck, and led me to the exit of the infirmary.

"You're pretty stoic, aren't you?" he asked. I ignored him, only concentrating on maintaining my breathing.

"Just, one thing before we leave."

"What?"

"Well, I wasn't lying when I said everyone fainted," Junichi said. "And it seems like you and our other classmates might be in a little bit of trouble."

"What do you mean?"

"We're in just a little bit of trouble," Junichi repeated. "You'll see… when we leave."

What did _that_ mean?

"A-Alright," I said. As Junichi took me out of the infirmary, a bright light shone in through the doors, and I thought maybe this wouldn't be _so_ bad.

But…

"W-what the hell?!" I muttered.

"This is where we'll be attending school, I guess," Junichi said.

"T-this isn't a school though!" I said. "What is this?!"

I looked around me, and there were stores lined across the walls. Not only were there stores, I saw a big movie theater in the corner. There was a roller coaster in the distance – an indoor theme park?

"Where are we?!" I asked.

"Well, from what I see, we're in the famous Kibougamine Mall," Junichi said. "I… wonder why we're here."

"Is it just us two?" I asked, still shocked.

"The others are exploring what they can," Junichi said. "I volunteered to watch over you."

"M-My God," I said. I tugged at my heart, and began to spastically take short breaths.

"A-Are you okay?!" Junichi asked. "Sorry, it was stupid of me to rush you out here!"

"W-whatever," I said. "It's fine. I'm okay."

"You want to lie back down?" Junichi asked, concerned.

"I'm okay," I said firmly. "I just… I'm okay."

What was Junichi doing? What was he scheming? No one would ever approach me like he did.

"I can go alone," I said, regaining my balance from before. I was able to walk by myself now. It would be fine. "I don't need anyone's help."

"Damn, you _are_ stoic," Junichi said. "But unfortunately for you, I'm coming anyways."

"Why?" I asked, with a grim tone.

"I don't know," Junichi said, looking at me. "But you need a friend too, right?"

A friend? What was he..?

"Stop mocking me," I said. "I don't need your pity."

"H-hey!" he tested. "It's not pity! You and I are similar, aren't we?"

"You don't know me," I said. "Go away. I'm okay on my own. I'm not some weak girl. I might have a weak heart, but I'm okay on my own."

Junichi looked into my eyes, and stared me down.

"I've seen some parts of your documentary," he said. "You looked miserable. Weren't you?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"I didn't have friends for a long time either," Junichi said. "I was trying to be nice to you. Don't you want… someone to trust on?"

Someone to trust on? What kind of question was that? I think down the road, it would be nice. But I had too little pride for that. I didn't think anyone deserved to get to know me.

"Besides, I know almost everyone in this school," Junichi finally said. "You're going to need me for a little roadside assistance."

I didn't know what to do. It seemed like Junichi was genuinely trying to get to know me. I didn't think he was lying. But I didn't want… to do anything risky. I was hurt plenty of times before…

"…Alright," I said, finally. "Let's go."

I saw a big smile creep up on Junichi's face, and he laughed. "Took a while to get you to accept me!" Junichi said. "But you're one of the first people who did, so I guess that's progress, huh?"

Junichi gave me a thumbs up. "Right! We're going to be friends, right?"

Friends. It was a word I didn't think I'd hear associated with me. Rumiko Funabashi – the glamour girl with a weak heart. Glistened with fame, everyone who met me pushed me away because they were jealous, or something. That's why I'm this insecure about myself. But hearing Junichi try and get to know me… it was hard to believe that he was the victim of bullying.

He was so friendly and kind. How could anyone bully him? Besides, he seemed to have the social skills to get _me_ to make buddy with him.

"How strange," I said, under my breath, but I gave him a thumbs up.

"You should at least smile when doing that," Junichi said, chuckling. "Anyways, let's go meet the others, huh?"

"The others… what are they like?" I asked.

"I don't know, honestly," he said. "But most of them are nice. I think."

Junichi winked, and led me to the food court. Were the others there? I was wondering to myself what my life would be like from this point. One thing was clear; we were not at Hope's Peak Academy. We were in trouble. But still, Junichi was able to lift my spirits, somehow. I grabbed at my heart as I followed Junichi. This wasn't the feeling of pain. What was it?

Was this what it feels like to have a friend?

"Coming?" Junichi asked, as I escaped from the train of thought. I still didn't smile – I wouldn't go that far. I'd be stoic, as Junichi had put it, because that was who I grew up to be. That's how I expected to treat myself. But I guess for Junichi's sake… I could at least be a friend.

I nodded, and followed after Junichi.

My mouth began to tingle a little. I put my hand over my mouth for a little while as I felt something happen. My mouth felt like it was curving itself. Was this a smile?

"Is that a smile between your hands, I see?" Junichi asked. "I made a girl smile! I got so much better with people, didn't I?"

Junichi Goto. He was a victim of bullying, like me. But Junichi was constantly subjected to bullying all his life. Suicidal thoughts, tendencies of extreme anger. Until one day, a bully came up to him, and punched him right in the gut. Kids were filming people hoard around Junichi and they wanted to show the world how weak they thought he was. But he fought back, and he won. He became a worldwide hero, and an example for how amazing an individual could be. But the words he spoke sounded like he was having trouble making friends.

Was I his first?

Would I be his first? 

***  
_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 8:08 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

Junichi led me to the food court where there were two people sitting on the table, clearly stunned. One was wearing a black looking cape and another wearing a pilot uniform. They were clearly distressed from being brought to this mall. I couldn't blame them; being sent to mall after arriving at a school was hard to take in.

"Hey guys," Junichi said to the two. "She finally woke up!"

"Is that… Rumiko Funabashi?" one of them asked.

"Wasn't she in that documentary?" asked the second.

"Anyways, why don't you two introduce yourselves?" Junichi asked cheerfully. It was hard to believe he was ever bullied at all.

"A-Alright," the one in the cape said. "Hi... my name is Tatsuya Okanaya."

_**TATSUYA OKANAYA**_

_Super Highschool Level Illusionist_

_**Talent ID**__:____"Famed for creating the most artistic and beautiful illusions, his talent allows him to take on the talent of SHSL Illusionist."_

_**Appearance: **__A mature looking teen. He has rather untidy black hair that is longer than most. He is dressed in all black, wearing a black collar shirt with a black jacket with white straps lined up across it. He looks like a professional magician that way. _

"Tatsuya Okanaya?" I asked. "Um, what's an illusionist really do?"

"I-I'm a magician," he said. "I don't know… whether or not you'll like me though."

"Everyone here is so unconfident about themselves," Junichi sighed.

"N-no! I'm confident!" Tatsuya snapped. "Yeah! I'm a freaking good magician!"

"H-His personality just lighted up," I said to myself.

"Or, maybe not… I was invited to this school, so… I don't know. Nice to meet you though, I guess."

"Y-yeah," I said. Tatsuya awkwardly walked back to the table and began fiddling with his thumbs.

"Are you done exploring the mall?" Junichi asked.

"I-I was too afraid to go," Tatsuya said. "S-sorry."

"I see!" Junichi exclaimed. "Then why are you here, Taikan?"

Taikan looked up from the table and stared at the two of us. Taikan definitely looked lost, and afraid of what was going on. He smiled though when he saw the two of us.

"I've seen your first documentary," Taikan said to me. "You're… inspiring!" Taikan lighted up suddenly and smiled, flashing at us his sharp teeth.

"Taikan is a pilot," Junichi said. "I guess he's good at flying planes."

"Y-Yeah," Taikan said. "I wouldn't say I'm the best though." Taikan took his arm and greeted me, arching it above his head, like a soldier would in the military.

"Nice to meet'cha!"

_**TAIKAN HIRAGA**_

_Super Highschool Level Pilot_

_**Talent ID: **__"Taught to fly as a child, Taikan has participated in many sky races where they race with planes, and has handled many flights before, even steering a crashing plane to safety. Because of this, we allow him to take on the title of SHSL Pilot."_

_**Appearance:**__ Taikan has blue hair that hangs loosely in front of his face. He always wears his pilot uniform, which is a white dress shirt, black tie, blue hat, and black dress pants._

"He's really optimistic," Junichi said. "He's still unconfident about himself though."

"The four of us are pretty insecure, huh?" Taikan asked. "I guess we can call ourselves the loser circle! Haha!"

_I don't like the sound of that,_ I thought to myself.

"I'm pretty useless though," Taikan said. "All I do is fly planes."

"That's pretty cool though!" Junichi said.

"Y-Yeah… anyone can be a magician," Tatsuya muttered. "Flying planes is pretty cool though… not like being magician though."

"I guess…" Taikan responded, scratching his head. "Something about being a pilot just sounds sort of boring though."

"An illusionist sounds sort of exotic, huh?" Junichi said to himself.

"Anyways, see you around, Rumiko!" Taikan said. He walked out of the food court and walked towards some of the stores, as I stared.

I nodded, keeping my vow of silence seriously, and followed Junichi elsewhere. I wasn't sure whether or not I'd like it here, but everyone seemed to be nice. It almost seemed to be too good to be true. Everyone… was so kind.

"Anyways, let's go elsewhere!" Junichi said. "We're going to need to meet the others pretty soon!"

_**Location: The Concert Hall | Time: 8:31 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

"Hey! It's a girl!" one guy called out.

"I predict that this girl will not do very well," another girl said.

"But that does not matter," another said. "What matters is her level of humanity."

I looked at three of my classmates who faced me, greeting me almost immediately.

"What's up?" the guy said.

"Uh, you look a little young to be… you know a highschool student."

"Huh? What was that?"

_**MITSUO OKURA  
**__Super Highschool Level Archer_

_**Talent ID:**__ "Extremely skilled in the arts of a bow & arrow, Mitsuo is a highly popular archer and has been allowed to adopt the title of SHSL Archer."_

_**Appearance: **__Mitsuo is a middle-looking boy with short black hair that barely covers his ears. He always puts his hood up since it makes it seem like a professional archer. His sweatshirt is one size too big, and it shows, causing his sweatshirt to sag a little. _

"And who the fuck are you? Haha!" Mitsuo asked.

"Um, excuse me?"

"Mitsuo can be a little… brash," Junichi said.

"Hey! Man-bitch! Shut up! Haha!"

Junichi didn't respond, and only scratched his head.

"He's a little weird," Junichi said, scratching his head. I looked at Mitsuo who took a seat in a chair and began to spin around in it.

"Er, anyways, I'm Rumiko Funabashi –"

"I know who you are!" Mitsuo said. "Aren't you that girl with the messed up heart?"

"I guess," I said.

"Everyone's seen your documentaries!" Mitsuo said. "They all think that you're inspiring but I just think that the media planted a pair of balls on you!"

A pair of balls?

"Well, I wouldn't –"

"I'm sorry, miss," Mitsuo said. "I didn't mean those words I just said."

"Uh, what?"

"Do you forgive me? I'm truly sorry!" Mitsuo began crying and stuffed his face in his shirt, causing great confusion between me.

"I think he has a personality disorder," Junichi whispered into my ear. "He seems to change his personality a lot. But he's still a good archer, so I wouldn't mess with him."

"Indeed," said one of the girls. "He is a fantastic archer, one I would gladly love to meet in battle."

"Who're you?" I asked.

"I am honored to meet you," the girl said. "My name is…"

_**MIYOKO FURISAWA**_

_Super Highschool Level Knight_

_**Talent ID: **__"A skilled knight fighter in a foreign country, Miyoko is a noble and honorable knight, allowing her to take on the title of SHSL Knight."_

_**Appearance: **__Miyoko has blond hair that she always ties back. She wears a suit that is completely white. She wears her white tie, white boots, and white jacket, etc._

"Miyoko Furisawa?" I asked. "I didn't know… a knight could be a lady."

"It does not matter about the gender of one being," Miyoko said. "Only the strength and honor one being may possess. Yet, I do not know about your human values."

"M-Mine?"

"You seem strong," Miyoko said. "Battling that fierce disease planted in your heart. I commend you! May we cross paths in battle on day, and test our levels of honor together!"

"I-I don't think so," I said. "I'm not sure I can match against a knight very well."

"I… see," Miyoko responded, sounding disappointed. "An intelligent withdrawal."

"Miyoko's really… honorable, I guess," Junichi told me. "She's a kickass fighter though."

"Kick…ass?" Miyoko asked. "That doesn't sound very noble."

"Oh, it is," Junichi said.

As Miyoko and Junichi talked a little bit, I looked around, and saw another girl with blond hair doing what looked to be some yoga. She crossed her legs, and was humming loudly, inconsiderate of anything around her. Her eyes were tightly shut, and she pinched her fingers together.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing at the girl.

"I predict you are pointing at me, aren't you?" the girl asked.

"Oh, her?" Junichi asked. "That's –"

"My name? My name is Dawn."

_**DAWN**_

_Super Highschool Level Esper_

_**Talent ID: **__"A child with a strange talent, she has made amazing predictions towards the future with tested 70-75% accuracy, allowing her to take on the title of SHSL Esper."_

_**Appearance: **__Dawn always wears a green sweatshirt, and purple lipstick & eyeliner. In addition, she has long blonde hair that flows just past her hips._

"Oh, uh, nice to –"

"Nice to meet you as well," Dawn said. "I predict that your name is Rumiko Funabashi, is that correct?"

"Uh, yeah," I said. "You haven't seen my documentaries though, have you?"

"I have seen no such thing," Dawn said. "But I predict that such a documentary is 133 minutes long with an extra 8 minutes of bonus footage, is that correct?"

"Y-yeah," I said, bewildered.

"I predict that in a few seconds, the lights will flicker on and off."

I looked at the ceiling immediately, fixing my eyes on the ceiling lights. After a few moments, they began to flicker.

"J-Jeez," Junichi said.

"T-That is most impressive," Miyoko said.

"That's _so_ cool!" Mitsuo said.

"I predict that Mitsuo will switch personalities after I say the word hamster," Dawn said. "Hamster."

"Wow! This bitch is amazing!" Mitsuo laughed.

"But a success rate of only 70%?" Miyoko asked. "That does seem a little low. You are very skilled right now."

"I have no answer to that," Dawn said. "I just have revelations at times."

"I-I see," I said.

Right now, I wasn't really sure what to expect from the three of them, so I tugged on Junichi's shirt and left the three of them and to look for the others. They didn't seem to really notice, but to be fair, there were other things to think about other than who the hell I was.

So I left.

***  
_**Location: The Movie Theater | Time: 8:52 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

Walking into the movie theater, there were three people in the lobby. Like the concert hall, there were two girls, and one guy.

"Uh, guys," Junichi said. "Here's –"

"Oh! Hey! Who're you?!" asked one of the girls. She pushed Junichi out of the way and shoved herself in my face. I shrank my face in surprise and introduced myself. "Rumiko Funabashi? Yo! I've heard of you! You're that girl with that messed up heart, huh?"

"Y-yeah," I said, not really caring that she called my heart messed up. "You are?"

"Shina Wakabayashi!" she said. "Yo!"

_**SHINA WAKABAYASHI**_

_Super Highschool Level Host_

_**Talent ID: **__"Famous as a radio personality, she's hosted numerous shows and programs allowing her to take on the title of SHSL Host."_

_**Appearance: **__Shina has all of her hairs braided and lifted to the back of her head. She has very light brown skin and she always wears a denim jacket and ripped jeans._

"Ever heard of me?" Shina asked, holding her ear into my face.

"U-Uh, I think so," I said. "I don't really watch TV or listen to the radio though."

"Damn! Then you won't know any current events then, yo! They just caught another dude killed by a freak serial killer!" 

"I don't really want to know about that," I said. "A-Anyways, you're stepping on my foot." 

Shina looked down, and squealed.

"Yo! I'm sorry!"

"T-that's okay," I said.

"Would you two quiet down?" asked the girl from the corner. "You're so loud."

"S-sorry, Teruyo," Junichi said.

"Teruyo?"

"Yup, that's my name," Teruyo said. "And hey, Junichi… still don't want to come with me to the Furniture Store? I want… to look at a couple of _beds with you._"

"I-I'm okay," Junichi said.

"Alright…" Teruyo said seductively. "Just come to be… if you want to later." Teruyo bent down, and rubbed her legs with her hands. Junichi turned around and rubbed his nose as Teruyo continued to act like the queen of sluts in front of me.

_**TERUYO KURATA**_

_Super Highschool Level Contortionist_

_**Talent ID: **__"Teruyo is renowned for simulating beautiful dances and majestic shows. She has been awarded several times, and we decided to let her carry the title of SHSL Contortionist."_

_**Appearance: **__Teruyo has always has her orange hair in a bun, as so it doesn't interfere with her contorting. Strangely, she wears a ballet uniform all the time, even though those she's a contortionist and not a ballet dancer._

"You're a contortionist?" I asked.

"That I am," Teruyo said softly. "I love… to contort in front of _men._"

"Um, yeah," I said. "You do that."

"Hey, Junichi," she said, forcing him to turn around. She lifted up her leg and placed it on his shoulder, and I could clearly see Junichi's discomfort. Ignoring the two of them, I approached another guy. He had headphones plugged into his ears, and I could hear his music just fine. How loud was he listening to his music? He looked up from his music player, and waved.

"Who're you?" he asked.

"Rumiko Funabashi," I said. "You?"

He didn't respond, and only looked at me, growing more and more frustrated by the second.

"Who're you?!" he snapped.

"Lower the damn volume!" I said, and yanked his headphones off.

"Oh, I was listening to my music too loudly again, wasn't I?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said. "I'm Rumiko Funabashi, anyways."

"I'm Giichi Uyeda. Nice to meet you."

_**GIICHI UYEDA**_

_Super Highschool Level DJ_

_**Talent ID:**__ "Famous for his mixes that sooth even the elderly; he has been allowed to take on the title of SHSL DJ."_

_**Appearance:**__ Giichi has wavy brown hair that extends upwards slightly at the ends. He also wears gray rimmed glasses. He is seen wearing a casual winter's jacket and sweatpants, as he states that they are warm and that he is always cold._

"I have a habit of listening to my music too loudly, I guess," Giichi said. "Sorry."

"That's okay," I sighed. He put his headphones back on immediately, and played his music. It was extremely loud, and I could hear it from across the room as I approached Junichi and Teruyo.

"Are you _really sure _you don't want to go look at beds with me?" Teruyo asked. "We can go for a king size…"

"Y-yeah, no," Junichi stammered. "I'm going to take a shortcut to this conversation and take Rumiko elsewhere, okay?"

"Oh? This redhead is your date I see?" Teruyo asked. "You're… lucky."

"He's not my date," I said. "He's just introducing me to the others."

"Bye, Teruyo," Junichi said, running out of the theater like the Roadrunner.

"See you later," Teruyo said, as she stretched into such an unfathomable pose. I waved goodbye to the others and went to find Junichi.

_**Location: Game Store | Time: 9:18 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

"Big store," I said, as we walked into the game store. Being in the hospital for as long as I was, I had a bunch of handhelds. This store probably had the largest selection I've ever seen.

"Yeah, I was pretty amazed too," Junichi said. "Anyways, there's three people waiting to meet you here."

There were three guys looking at the shelves. One of them broke the glass of a counter and took out a PSP, and loaded a game.

"H-he just stole!" I exclaimed.

"What? Problem with that?" he asked. He sniffed and picked his nose, wiping it on his shirt. "Back off."

_**ETSUYA YAMAMURA**_

_Super Highschool Level Skateboarder_

_**Talent ID: **__"A talented skater appearing on TV and national competitions, his skill allows him to take on the title of SHSL Skater."_

_**Appearance: **__Etsuya is very skinny, and wears a white T-shirt with a large stain in the middle of it, along with ripped blue jeans. He always has a blue helmet on, as well as knee and armpads._

"Uh, nice to meet you," I said. "I'm –"

"Shut your trap," he said. "I know who you are. Just stay away from me, alright?"

"He can be harsh," Junichi said. "I'm not sure… I like him that much."

"You aren't such a fucking flower yourself," Etsuya said. "Now leave me alone."

"Y-yeah," Junichi said. "I thought I was free from bullying here, but then I met Etsuya." Junichi scratched his head, and took me up to someone else. "This guy sort of balances it out though."

This guy noticed us talking behind him, and turned around. He smiled at us, and shook my hand.

"So you're awake!" he said. "That's great!"

"This guy's real nice," Junichi said. "You two will get along great, huh? With Rumiko being as stoic as she is!"

I ignored Rumiko and stared into this person's eyes, without cracking a smile.

"Anyways, hope we get to know each other," he said.

"Let's start with names," I said sarcastically.

"R-right," he said.

_**YUJIRO WATARI**_

_Super Highschool Level Survivalist_

_**Talent ID:**_ _"Trained as a young child under harsh conditions, his ability to survive and thrive in dangerous areas and/or conditions allowed him to take on the title of SHSL Survivalist."_

_**Appearance:**_ _Medium length brown hair loosely hangs over his eyes. It's clean, but parted. He always wears a typical suit, in contrast to his wild survivalist skills. Black jacket; white dress shirt and black tie, and black dress pants._

"I've heard of you before," I said as he told me his name. "You're that survivalist guy."

"Yeah," Yujiro said. "I was under some pretty tough times as a kid, being forced into the jungle and stuff. I can fight because of that, but I don't like to use it. I try to be nice to everyone… but it's sort of hard to repress these negative feelings after years of being stuck in those harsh situations I was in."

"He's one tough guy though," Junichi said. "He tries his best to be as positive as he can."

"Yeah," Yujiro said. "Anyways, are you feeling okay?" He turned to me and put his hand on my forehead.

"It's common to have a fever after suffering a heart attack," Yujiro said. "It's lucky you don't have one."

"I didn't have a heart attack when I came here," I said. "I fainted."

"You fainted too?" Yujiro asked. "That's strange. I mean, we all did."

My eyes widened. I wasn't sure whether or not Junichi was being serious. But it seemed like he was, after hearing it from a second person.

"That's terrible though," Yujiro said. "We all fainted like that and we were taken to this shopping mall. I wonder what's happening?"

"One thing is clear," Etsuya said. "No one seems to give a shit if I steal things like this!"

"Y-you probably shouldn't," Junichi said.

"Keep your fucking morals to yourself," Etsuya snapped at Junichi. "I'm not afraid that you'll pummel me to the ground like you did to that other guy."

"I-I won't do that," Junichi said, insulted. Etsuya snorted and turned around, shunning Junichi from his existence.

"What an asshole," I whispered.

"Don't say things like that," Yujiro said. "I don't approve of what he said, but he probably went under some tough things as a kid. Most bullies do."

"You calling me a bully?" Etsuya asked from the distance, overhearing us.

"Y-you should really stop talking like that," Yujiro said, trying to get everyone to calm down.

I quickly scanned the game store with my eyes, and I saw someone reaching for a game on a tall shelf. He was… rather short.

"Who's that?" I asked, pointing at the guy in the sweater.

"Him?" Junichi asked. "His name is Hideyoshi Nakamoto. Hey, Hideyoshi!"

Hideyoshi looked at Junichi in surprise, and walked towards us.

"You're the girl who wouldn't wake up," Hideyoshi said. "I thought that you wouldn't awaken from your slumber."

"Slumber?"

"Yes! Indeed! Slumber, meaning sleep, which can be induced by a moment of exhaustion!"

What is with this guy?

"Salutations," he said.

_**HIDEYOSHI NAKAMOTO**_

_Super Highschool Level Animator_

_**Talent ID: **__"Famous on the Internet for animating several amateur projects of comedy and action, he has been invited to take on the title of SHSL Animator."_

_**Appearance: **__He has black hair and always wears beanie hat, in addition to a warm red sweater and snow pants. He also has rather large glasses, and a long nose, making him look like a stereotypical nerd._

"So, uh, I'll just go back to looking at these fine pieces of literature."

"Games aren't exactly literature," I said. "Anyways, I've seen a lot of your animations online, and…"

"Ha!" he exclaimed. "Yes! Aren't they exquisitely amazing!"

"I wouldn't call it that," I said.

"Oh. W-well, okay! That's, uh, okay…"

"Uh, sorry," I said. "Not good at socializing."

"No, it's fine," Hideyoshi said. "My work can be a bit deceiving to the eyes of females."

"What does being a girl have to do with it..?" 

"Well, you see, I've noticed girls seem to have an _acquired taste."_

"Yeah, no," I said. "Bye."

"Did I rub off the wrong way?" he asked, as I walked out of the store. Junichi ran after me, and started to laugh a little.

"It's not funny," I said, crossing my arms and puffing my cheeks. Junichi sighed and led me to the Antique Store.

_**Location: The Antique Store | Time: 9:45 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

Junichi led me into the Antique Store where there were three girls checking the place out.

"Well, these are the last," Junichi said.

"In our class?" I asked.

"No, in the entire mall." He replied.

"What?! But even if it's Hope's Peak, there's bound to be more students than just _us._"

"It looks like we were the only ones who were taken here," Junichi said. "I don't know why. The best explanation I can come up with is that they gathered us up here for some sort of ceremony."

"But, that's ridiculous," I said. "Why did they take us to the mall then?"

"I have no idea," Junichi said. "But let's just introduce you the others, okay?"

I nodded, and Junichi led me to one of the girls. She had light blue hair that turned white at the ends, and she was wearing a ceremonial robe. It almost looked like she was cosplaying a little bit.

"Hey, Are," Junichi said. "You want to meet the girl with the weak heart?"

Is that what everyone called me?

"Oh," she said. "So this is Rumiko Funabashi?"

"You look a little old to be a highschool student," I said to her.

"Do not worry," Are said. "You and I are still the same age. However, to be such a fantastic negotiator as myself, I must maintain a mature look, and a mature personality."

"You look like you're cosplaying," I said.

"W-well, yes," Are said. "Be that as it may, I am fantastic at what I do."

_**ARE SEO**_

_Super Highschool Level Peacemaker_

_**Talent ID:**__ "Known for solving several disputes nationally and internationally, Are Seo is a very skilled negotiator, allowing her to take the title of SHSL Peacemaker."_

_**Appearance: **__Are is a tall girl with a mature look. She has long light blue hair that has a tint of white, and it's frizzled and curled. She wears a ceremonial robe._

"What I do is travel to different countries and nations that are in conflict with other different countries and nations," Are said. "I resolve those conflicts and make peace. I am a national hero."

"That does sound amazing," Junichi said. "You're pretty too, you know?" 

"…I'm pretty?" Are asked.

"Yeah," Junichi said.

"I'll have you know… I am not all about my looks!" Are snapped.

"What?"

"I hate men like you! You all think that because of my slim, yet beautiful body, I act like a slut in front of everyone I can! I'm not Teruyo!"

"I-I just called you pretty," Junichi stammered. "I'm sorry if I insulted you."

"Yes, quite," Are said, smoothening out her robe, and walking back to the shelves.

"She's a bitch, isn't she?" said a girl, walking up to us.

"I wouldn't really call her a _bitch_," Junichi said. "That's… real mean."

"Yeah, well, sometimes you should be mean," she said. "Nice to meet you Rumiko!" 

_**LUCY CARSON**_

_Super Highschool Level Foreign Exchange_

_**Talent ID: **__"In an effort to bring the Hope's Peak system to America, she has been chosen to represent America and take part in our lessons."_

_**Appearance: **__She has blue hair, and wears a purple jacket; she looks like an ordinary highschool girl with no outstanding features._

"What is a Super Highschool Level Foreign Exchange?" I asked.

"Oh, well, I was invited here from Japan after I applied to attend," Lucy said. "Since I'm pretty good with Japanese and all."

"She's from America," Junichi said. "She does seem very good with her Japanese though!"

"Is that the only reason they accepted you?" I asked.

"I guess," she said, disappointed. "They want to bring the Hope's Peak program to America so they chose someone to observe how things went. Then I could tell the government about it, or something."

"That's so lame though!" the other girl said. "That you don't have a talent!"

"Yeah, I thought some people would say that," Lucy sighed.

"I'm sure she doesn't mean anything bad by it," Junichi said.

"I guess so," the other girl said. "I mean, I don't want to sound like an asshole. Anyways, you're Rumiko Funabashi!"

"Y-yeah," I said.

"I've seen your documentary on that channel with that slutty kid and her fat cow mother!"

"I'm not proud of it," I said.

"Nice to meet you! I'm Nanao Kanai!"

_**NANAO KANAI  
**__Super Highschool Level Track Runner_

_**Talent ID: **__"Breaking numerous records as a teen track runner, her skill in running allows her to take on the title of SHSL Track Runner."_

_**Appearance: **__Nanao has brown hair that puffs up at the sides. In normality, these "puffs" would be let down. However, because of her track running, she keeps it up in puffs. It resembles mufflers that you keep on your ears. She always wears a track uniform, with short shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt._

"Yo! Uh, so, yeah! Yo!"

"Er, yo," I said back.

"Anyways, that's all of them," Junichi said. "I wonder what's going on."

"I believe that this may be a rite of passage," Are said. "Or an entrance ceremony in simpler terms."

"I doubt it's that simple," Lucy said. "We were knocked out at the school, and then we're taken to the most popular mall in the world. Isn't that a little weird to be just an ordinary entrance ceremony?"

"But this mall is cool!" Nanao exclaimed. "I don't really want to leave either way!"

"I don't know about this," Junichi said. "Don't you think it's a little weird that we've been taken to this mall without any warning?"

"Not only that, but there aren't any people here," Are said. "It's about ten o' clock right now. The mall should be packed with people."

"T-that's true," Nanao said, crossing her arms.

"Maybe it's a private event?" Lucy suggested.

"But still, to make us faint at the moment we entered the school; it's a little harsh," Junichi said.

"Maybe we should meet with the others," Are said.

"I could gather everyone up at the food court," Junichi said. "Then we could discuss everything together as one group, now that Rumiko is awake."

"You didn't talk about this _before_?" I asked.

"No," Are said. "We just decided that we'd explore until we were _all _awake."

"So we're going off to the food court?!" Nanao explained. "I want some Chinese food!"

"None of the stands are going to be working," Lucy said.

"Oh," Nanao said. "But that's okay! Who knows how to cook here?" 

"Who knows?" Junichi asked. "But we should focus on regrouping for now and collecting our thoughts."

"Alright, let's go then!" Nanao said, and she left the store.

"We should follow after her," Are said, as she slowly headed towards Nanao's direction.

"See you later," Lucy said, and she left.

"I guess we should go too," Junichi said. "Coming?"

I nodded, and the two of us left the Antique Store and headed for the Food Court.

***  
_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 10:08 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

As we arrived to the food court, Tatsuya, Are, Lucy, and Nanao were already there waiting for us. As we sat down in one of the tables, Junichi left to fetch the others, and I was left to sit quietly while the other four talked it out. I looked at Tatsuya's face, and his nose was bleeding as Are explained that she wore no pants under her robe to Nanao, who laughed cheerfully. I didn't know what to do, since I didn't have any skills to talk to anyone, so I just sat there quietly and waited for Junichi to come back.

It took a while, but he finally returned with all the others, and we started a mini-meeting. We sat on the largest table so we could face each other, and as Junichi sat next to me, we began to talk about our current situation.

"So, anyone got any ideas?" Taikan asked. "I'm real worried that we were taken to this mall."

"Tch, just enjoy it," Etsuya said. "Don't be a fucking pussy."

"I'm not sure pussy is an appropriate word," Hideyoshi said. "However, there is no appropriate word for such a thing, though the correct term to speak of is the va—"

"Anyways," Taikan said, cutting Etsuya off, "I think we should probably talk about why we were taken here." 

"We've suggested the possibility of this being some sort of entrance ceremony," Dawn said. "But I believe that it is false."

"Eh? Why can't this be an entrance ceremony?" Shina asked.

"It's a bit troublesome to knock us all out and take us to this mall, just for an entrance ceremony," Yujiro said. "It's also far too dangerous to do such a thing."

"Why would they even take us to a _mall_ for an entrance ceremony?" Taikan added. "It's best to just hold an entrance ceremony at the school itself. Yet we were taken to one of the most popular malls in all of Japan."

"Of course, we already came up with that solution," Are said. "But there's another strange thing about this mall, wouldn't you agree?"

"A-and what's that?" Tatsuya stammered. "Aside from what's already strange _now._"

"We've been taken to the most popular mall in Japan," Are said. "Yet, where is everyone? Where is anyone?"

We all looked at each other with strange faces. While Junichi and I and the others at the Antique Store already pointed this out to each other, the others haven't heard it. It was spooky to hear it a second time anyways. If we were in the most popular mall of all of Japan, why were we the only ones here?

"It's already 10:30!" Mitsuo exclaimed. "So – bitches beware! Where the fuck is everyone?! Waiting to jump on us?!"

"I-I don't think so," Lucy stammered. "Another weird thing is that there are no other students here, though."

"What is that weird?" Nanao asked. "We're so special, we get a whole entire mall to ourselves!"

"The smartness is not with this one," Shina laughed.

"Dumbass," Etsuya said. "We were knocked out when we entered the school. It should be the same for the other students."

"Right!" Nanao exclaimed. "I get it now!"

"Not much of a fight," Tatsuya said softly.

"What to do now?" Giichi asked. "Perhaps we should start talking instead of everyone sitting around and doing nothing."

"We've been talking the whole time!" I snapped. "Lower your volume!"

"What?" Giichi asked. "You have to speak up!"

Shina, who was sitting next to Giichi, knocked the headphones off of his head and scratched her nose.

"We were discussing this the whole time," Yujiro said politely. "We'd appreciate it if you participated in our conversation."

"Oh! Well, where is everyone?" Giichi asked.

"We already talked about that!" Shina said, irritated.

"I can hear your music from a mile away," Etsuya sighed. "You have a fucking awful taste in music."

"You curse a lot, don't you?" Nanao asked, giggling.

"So? What of it?" Etsuya asked.

"You look dirty!" Nanao said. "You should get a new shirt instead of letting that coffee stain, or whatever it is, rot your insides!"

"I think it's too late for that," Teruyo said. "But… Etsuya… if you ever want to… _come by my dorm…_ you know, when we get to the school –"

"No thank you," Etsuya said. "I don't hang around with sluts."

"I-I'm not a slut," Teruyo said, maintaining her seductive voice. "I'm just a little bit… ahead of the game, if you guys know what I mean."

"I don't think we do," Junichi said.

"My offer is still on for the bed shopping," Teruyo said. "Hope you can… make it."

"Let's move onto another topic," Taikan said.

"Y-yeah. I mean, there's another weird thing too," Tatsuya said.

"And what might this be?" Miyoko asked. "Talk quickly – and make sense. Otherwise, I will not believe that you have a shred of honor."

"W-what?!" Tatsuya stammered. "I c-can't talk like that, then!"

"Just say it, you dirty freak," Etsuya said.

"You're one to talk!" Tatsuya said, angrily. "B-but… I'll just say it then… you know, there's not even like… an adult or anything. Like a headmaster. Or a teacher."

We stared at Tatsuya. He did make a good point – we might be the only students here, but if we were taken here, it had to be by someone. Where is that someone? What were we doing? 

"Damn it," Etsuya sighed.

"There should be someone watching over us, right?" Junichi asked. "If not, then it doesn't seem like we're going to get anywhere."

"S-so there's no one watching over us?" Taikan stammered.

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

As we continued our conversation of confusion, there was suddenly a loud beep coming on over the speakers. After that, there was a tapping noise; like the tapping of a microphone that was turned on.

"Yikes! That's loud!" Nanao giggled.

"_Hello? Is this thing on?"_ said a squeaky voice.

"Um, what is that?" Tatsuya asked, frightened. 

"It's the Apocalypse!" Dawn said, looking totally serious. "Quick! Everyone! Get under the table! I shall draw a magic circle of protection!"

"_I'm not the Apocalypse,"_ said the voice. _"I'm the bastard that brought all of you wonderful shoppers here!"_

"Shoppers?" Etsuya said.

"_That's right! Shoppers!"_

"Ack! He can hear us!" Tatsuya shrieked.

"Who is this masked man?" Miyoko asked. "May you present yourself to us at once, or you will not be considered a formidable foe to me!"

"_Wow! You're the knight, aren't you?" _the voice asked. _"You'll __**love**__ our Antique Store!"_

"We've already been in it," Are said. "There's nothing resembling something a knight like you would like."

"Dare you lie to my face?!" Miyoko asked.

"_Who are you talking too?" _the voice asked. _"Anyways, I've been listening over your conversation. Y'all are confused, aren't ya?"_

"Y-yeah, sort of," Taikan stuttered.

"Are you the man who locked us up?" Yujiro asked, serious.

"_I'm not a man!" _the voice said. _"I ain't a woman, neither!"_

"Uh, then what are you, Mr. Voice over the intercom?" Nanao asked, twiddling with her fingers.

"_I'm glad you asked, Nanao!" _said the voice. _"Please come to the concert hall straight away! I have something I want to show y'all! Which is myself! Yahoo! So, please hurry up!"_

The intercom beeped off, and we were left to ponder the words of this man. He locked us up in a mall with no one around, and he wanted us to go to the concert hall?

"H-he seems to be missing a few screws!" Shina said.

"A few screws?" Giichi said. "I almost put my music back on because I couldn't bear to listen to that voice anymore."

"I don't think we should ignore this though," Yujiro said. "If this person had the power to take us _all_ to the mall, I have no doubts he won't be able to force us there."

"We should go willingly," Are said. "It's the safest possibility."

"Y-yeah," Junichi said. "Though I'm not looking forward to what's going to come forward."

"Don't be a pussy," Etsuya said.

Junichi didn't respond as Etsuya left and headed straight for the concert hall. Yujiro and Are followed after, and sooner or later, we all did, letting our feet carry us to what could be safety, or possibly even inescapable doom.

_**Location: The Concert Hall | Time: 10:40 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

"Here we are," Junichi said, as we entered.

"I don't want to be here," I said.

"We have no choice," Junichi sighed. "We don't want any trouble."

Everyone was taking a seat in the front row. Unsure of where to sit, I sat at the end of the row with Junichi, sort of far away from everyone else. Junichi was staying with me, with did make me feel a little comfortable.

As we waited for someone to come, the lights on the main stage turned on. On the podium, there was a music resembling circus fanfare. After a few moments, something incomprehensible happened. I grabbed at my heart and stared directly at the stage. Standing on top of the podium was a stuffed dog, holding wads and wads of cash.

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Meow!" he said. "Howdy, meow! My name is Meowykins, meow!"

**AN: Ooh, a dog that meows. **

**Make predictions! Who is going to live/die? Is anyone going to die at all? Who's your favorite character? **

**Please drop a review, and thanks for reading!**


	3. Prologue III: Oodles of Stuffed Despair

**AN: Thank you all for the reviews. If you noticed, by the time I uploaded this chapter, the synopsis was absolutely screwed up. This annoyed me greatly, but I can't get the synopsis to be fixed right now. It's just an awkward jumble of text. I hope that doesn't turn away any readers. **

**AnimesWorld: Yup. Thanks about the soundtrack. Also, are you saying Dawn is your favorite female or mine? Lol. But don't worry… it's definitely a dog. Haha :P**

**Onlyhalf: Thank you very much! Whether or not Dawn will be the first to die, only time will tell.**

**Mr. Monokuma & Ibuki Mioda: Thanks! Actually, I did get inspired by her character from Total Drama Island, and it seemed like she would be in a good fit for a Dangan Ronpa character. It seems weird that I took her name and personality, but I'm definitely not trying to **_**copy**_**her. The reason why I used her original name is because I like the idea of it. Since she's an esper, her having a weird and original name like Dawn is sort of cool. It also reminds me of Celes in a way. Two strange people with fake names. The appearance of Dawn in my story is just a coincidence in how it matches up with TDI. Also, his name was Junichi, lol. :P **

**Enjoy this chapter you guys!**

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Yo! Ho! The jolly dog says! Meow!"

"Ah! So it seems like the dog is talking!" Nanao said. "That's sort of weird!"

"It's weird that the dog is talking?!" Tatsuya squealed. "It's even weirder that the dog is a stuffed toy!"

"I ain't no ordinary stuffed toy Tatsuya-kins! Meow!"

"Uh, just a question," Taikan started. "Why are you saying meow when you're… a dog?"

"Dogs go meow hon!" Meowykins said. "Didn't you go to the first grade?"

"Uh, are you a boy dog, or a girl dog?" Nanao asked. "Because you look like a boy but your vocabulary resembles one of a jolly person from the southern region of the United States!"

"Well, you see honey, I can't really answer that question without pulling down these pants of mine!" Meowykins said.

"We won't need to see that," Junichi said.

"W-what is this?" Etsuya stammered. "How is a stuffed toy talking?"

"I said I ain't no stuffed toy!" Meowykins snapped. "Don't you dare call me a stuffed toy again!"

"That doll is _cute!_" Mitsuo said, returning to his innocent personality.

"And you are just as cute as a button too, Mitsuo-kins!" Meowykins said.

"Why didn't you call him out for calling you a stuffed toy?" Etsuya sighed.

"I like him better!" Meowykins exclaimed.

My heartbeat was beginning to rapidly decrease as I fell into shock from all of this. Did this _thing_ really lock us up in this mall? If so, why?

"Y-you answer my question," I said. "Why did you take us here?"

"Don't be so scary, Rumiko-kins!" Meowykins said. "I don't want to upset you, or anyone!"

"This is all very strange," Yujiro said. "But I hope you do not mean any harm, Meowykins?"

"I don't mean any harm at all, dear!" Meowykins said. "I just want us to be friends! Meow!"

"Friends with a stuffed toy?" Are said. "I'm surprised we aren't all coveted in shock right now."

"You see some weird things as a Super Highschooler," Nanao said.

"This is actually pretty cool though!" Shina said. "As long as you don't try and kill us, then I'm good with this! Meowykins, how are you being operated?"

"I'm not being operated by anyone, hon!" Meowykins exclaimed. "I'm a living being! I got a fabric heart right over here!" Meowykins pointed at its chest, and made a circle around where it said its heart was.

"You expect us to believe that this machinery is not operated by a secondary source?" Hideyoshi asked. "Inexplicable! Unacceptable!"

"Would you relax and lay off the nerd talk?" Shina asked, sighing.

"This man who kidnapped us is cowardly," Miyoko said, crossing her arms. "Cowardly enough to hide behind this evil abomination."

"I told you, I ain't being controlled by anyone!" Meowykins snapped. "Y'all are so defiant!"

"So, is this doll going to talk?" Giichi asked, twiddling with the wire of his headphones. His music was blasting, and I could hear it from the other side of the concert hall.

"Lower your freaking volume," Etsuya snapped. Shina walked over to Giichi and took the headphones off of his head.

"Oh, did I drift off to my music again?" Giichi asked. "Damn."

"Damn is right," Junichi sighed.

I looked over and saw Lucy, who was huddling in the back of the room, holding her legs close to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around her legs, and she was rocking back and forth. She probably had the only normal reaction among all of us.

"This is impossible!" I heard her say to herself. "This doll is talking to us!"

"I can hear you, Lucy-kins!" Meowykins said. "Please don't _**fucking call me a doll again, you bitch! Fucking meow!**_"

Lucy screamed and ran out of the concert hall in a hurry, as Meowykins brought its paws to its mouth and started to chuckle.

"Guess I was too rough again," Meowykins said. "My therapist always says to breathe in and out if I ever get frustrated like this. Wonder why it ain't working. Meow!"

"Maybe because you aren't breathing in and out!" Junichi sighed.

"I predict something," Dawn said. "I see something in the future… Meowykins will fart… now!" At Dawn's commands, methane excretion left Meowykins' behind.

"Oh! You are amazing, Dawny-kins!" Meowykins exclaimed. "You really are a Super Highschool Level Esper, huh?"

"That she is!" Shina exclaimed. "Wow, though!"

"This is so weird," Taikan sighed to himself, his face turning a slight blue. "I don't know if I can take this anymore."

"Just calm down," Yujiro said. "Anyways, uh, Meowykins, may I ask something?"

"Fire away, Yujiro hon!" Meowykins swooned. "You are _so very cute! _Meow!"

"Y-yes," Yujiro said.

"Cute enough to go mattress shopping with me," Teruyo said, in her seductive voice. I was beginning to think that was her natural tone. "Yujiro, I bought a mattress a few minutes ago. I need your _big strong arms _to help me carry them to my house…"

"T-that was the stupidest thing I've ever seen," Tatsuya sighed. "W-we're trapped in this mall. There's no way you'd be able to take a mattress home."

"That's not the problem, you dumbass," Etsuya snapped. "The problem is that she wouldn't have been able to buy the damn thing anyways."

"T-that too," Tatsuya stammered. "This is terrible…"

"Anyways! Back to the topic!" Meowykins said with a delightful tone. "Yujiro, what was your question?"

"Why did you take us here?"

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to an Ocean's Aroma_

These words suddenly turned to reality and stabbed us in the backs. We were so intrigued by the sight of a talking doll that we forgot the real picture at hand. Whoever was controlling this doll took us to this mall for a reason. It couldn't have been good at all. We were supposed to attend Hope's Peak Academy, not prance around in Japan's most famous mall.

"Kibougamine Mall," Yujiro started. "It is the most popular mall in all of Japan. Yet there is no one here at all, is there? Did you… rent out this mall for a private event?"

Meowykins didn't answer, and it only looked at its feet.

"I guess we forgot about that!" Mitsuo said. "You _**puppy bitch!**_"

"W-we shouldn't resort to calling it a bitch," Yujiro said. "I would just like an answer to my question."

Meowykins still didn't respond, and puffed up its cheeks and began to make a whistling noise.

"Y-Yujiro is right," Junichi said. "That's the best question right now. Why _did_ you take us here?"

"Do you have any affiliation with Hope's Peak Academy?" Are asked. "Are you acting by yourself?"

"Answer this question!" Miyoko said. "I may think about reinstating your honor back!"

"Damn girl," Meowykins sighed. "You just won't let go of that honor, will you?"

"It is how I was raised. How I grew up to be," Miyoko said. "You on the other hand, still haven't answered any of our questions."

"P-please answer us!" Mitsuo said, returning to his innocence.

"What do you want me to say, hon?" Meowykins asked. "That I took you here on a jolly little field trip? So that you guys could become friends or something?"

"I predict that what you are saying has been done before," Dawn said, rubbing her temples. "It's a revolutionary event that seemed to have happened somewhere far away from this mall."

"No, that doesn't matter," Meowykins said. "What matters is the real reason I brought you guys here, right? Meow!"

"That's what we've been trying to get out of you," Etsuya said. "Answer us!"

"Please?" Yujiro asked. "We'd all appreciate it!"

Meowykins took a brief pause, and began speaking again. "Yujiro, dear, you are far too kind. That might stab you in the back eventually, you know?"

"I'm sure it will," Yujiro said. "But I'll be sensible enough to know when. I'm not the Super Highschool Level Survivalist for nothing." Yujiro smiled and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Yes, well, I guess I do owe all of you an explanation."

"Hell yeah, you do!" Nanao snapped.

"But maybe I won't tell y'all!" Meowykins said.

"Huh?! Why not?" Shina asked.

"Well, I was just being a prick there," Meowykins giggled. "I called you here to the concert hall because I wanted to tell you all why I wanted you to come here in the first place!"

"Yet we didn't _come_ here," Taikan sighed. "We were all knocked out back at Hope's Peak Academy."

"So this abomination of a creature decided to withhold information from us?" Hideyoshi asked. "Tell me, creature, you are not involved with the academy, are you?"

"Hope's Peak? That old thing? No!" Meowykins said. "I assure you, I have nothing to do with that place that is so hung up on hope! Meow!"

"Being hung on hope is not a shameful thing," Miyoko said. "May you please answer our question not?"

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your underwear in a twist," Meowykins sighed.

"I wear panties," Miyoko responded.

"S-she said that without hesitation," Tatsuya said, sounding a little more amazed than he should have.

"You see, I took all of you out of that awful place, for one reason only! It's a real selfish reason, but I think you guys will like it anyways! Especially Nanao!"

"I like things that I'm supposed to like!" Nanao liked. "But what is it that I'm supposed to like?"

"Are you going to answer our question at all?" Junichi sighed.

"I would, but you **bad bitches keep interrupting me!**"Meowykins snapped. "I would appreciate it so much if you all would **shut yer fucking traps and let me speak to y'all! And you expect me to answer your questions like **_**that?!**_"

"The personality changes it goes through are scary!" Mitsuo said.

"You go through personality changes too," Etsuya sighed.

I looked up at Meowykins, who began to fan itself with its paws. It bowed down to us in apology for snapping at us, and began to speak once more.

"I really need a better therapist, don't I?" Meowykins asked.

"Damn straight!" Shina said. "What's the name of this therapist? I'll be sure to bad name him on my radio show: Shina Wakabayashi! Radio Host Extraordinaire!"

"That won't be necessary, but thank you," Meowykins said. "Anyways, I believe it is time for that **explanation** you all want so much. Meow!"

"Tell us, now!" I snapped, grabbing at my heart.

"Oh my, Rumiko. Honey, you shouldn't be so stressed out! It ain't good for your heart!"

"How can I be anything other than stressed?" I snapped. "I've been knocked out as soon as I entered the school I was supposed to go to, and now you, a stuffed doll –"

"I told you, I **ain't a stuffed doll.**" Meowykins said. "Fucking meow."

"Oh, so you're an action figure?" I asked. "Something like that?"

"I ain't a toy!" Meowykins snapped. "You girl, are getting on my nerves real good! It's people like you that force me to make monthly appointments to that God awful therapist!"

"Who would even treat a stuffed doll?" Are asked with contempt.

"For God's fucking sake!" Meowykins said. "Okay, Meowykins, just breathe in and out! You can hold in your anger just a little longer!"

"You can also tell us the fucking answer to our question!" Mitsuo snapped. "Pretty please?"

"Your personality fluctuates like no tomorrow," Hideyoshi said. "It's rather sickening."

"Let's get this going," Giichi said. "I want to listen to my music already."

"I agree with Giichi," Meowykins said. "Let me just tell you straight up why I trapped all of you here."

Meowykins stepped off of the podium, and went behind the stage of the concert hall. She was gone for a few moments, but all we could do was keep our eyes fixed on that exact position we saw Meowykins leave in. It took a while, but it finally returned, and repositioned itself on the podium. It held up a briefcase, with an emblem on it that resembled Meowykins' face. As she opened up the briefcase, we were all held in suspense as to what was actually inside it. It took a while, but she unlocked the briefcase, opened it, and almost immediately, the contents spilled out.

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

It was cash that fell out. Cash edited with Meowykins' face on it. There were dollar bills, five dollar bills, ten dollar bills, even bizarre ones like thirty two dollar bills.

"Shopping!"

"Oh boy! Shopping!" Nanao exclaimed. "But, what do you mean by shopping?"

"It's exactly as I say! Shop! Shop! Shop some more! I own this mall now, so all y'all are my humble guests!"

"Guests?" I asked. "So we get money for free?"

"Well, no," Meowykins said. "But if you work diligently enough for it, I'm sure that you'll earn enough **Meow Bucks** to buy the whole mall!"

"W-what do you mean, buy the whole mall?" Tatsuya asked.

"It means that I ain't opening these stores for free! Shit gets expensive, you know?"

"Then what's the point of getting these Meow Bucks?" Are asked. "Just to open up these stores?"

"When you open up a store, you can use whatever you want in it for _free will!_"

"The point of this was just to get us to shop?" Yujiro asked. "That's creative, but I can't see the point in that exactly."

"This guy's obviously some insane dude," Taikan said, laughing to himself. "He expects us to believe that the mall belongs to him, too?"

"Hell yeah it does, sweetie!" Meowykins said. Meowykins' face lit up like a thousand lanterns on the streets of China. Meowykins hopped off of the podium, and gave us a check of $100 Meow Bucks.

"Why a check?" I asked.

"I can't afford to get all of those dollar bills, sweetie," Meowykins said. "The bills are just a unique metaphor for my genius. Meow!"

"Do you know what the definition of genius is?" Hideyoshi asked. "It seems that you are not one to have acquired such knowledgeable genes."

"You use big words, Hideyoshi-kins!" Meowykins said. "That's cool and all, but don't use it to make me sound inferior to you! I did lock you up in here, after all!"

"This is bullshit!" Etsuya snapped. "Do you expect us just to shop to open up stores? And how the fuck do you recommend that we earn these Meow Bucks?"

"It does seem like kind of a waste," Yujiro said. "We aren't even buying whatever is _in _the store."

"That's true," Meowykins said. "Okay! New rule! Nothing is for free anymore in my stores!"

"Damn it, Yujiro!" Nanao sighed. "I was totally going to go to the department store and hoard on makeup, but you ruined that for me!"

"I-I'm sorry," Yujiro said, smiling.

"Do you believe this guy?" I asked Junichi.

"No," Junichi said. "Locking us up in here just to shop? It's stupid. It's not even something worthwhile to a normal sadistic person."

"There's such thing as a normal sadistic person?"

"You know what I mean."

"Anyways, answer my question, you bitch," Etsuya said. "How are we supposed to earn these Meow Bucks? Do they just fall from the fucking sky?"

"Wow, you got quite a potty mouth, Etsuya-kins!" Meowykins said. "But you shouldn't really be sarcastic in front of me, meow! Did you forget who locked you guys up in here?"

"I don't give a crap about that right now," Etsuya said.

"You have nerves of steel, standing up to the villain like that," Miyoko said. "I recommend that you back up for a second though. I would not encounter the enemy like that in such a violent manner."

"Shut up, you fucking knight," Etsuya said.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Woah! Etsuya has a stinky attitude!" Shina exclaimed.

"I'm not sure I look forward to working with you," Are said. "That's coming from a person whose job it is to make peace."

"I think we should all just calm down," Yujiro said. "Etsuya did ask a good question though. I don't think we earn these Meow Bucks for free, after all."

"Of course not, honey!" Meowykins said. "You earn them in special ways! Special amazing ways! Special ways that can only appeal best to dogs like me! Meow!"

"I still don't get the whole cat and dog thing," Nanao said. "Anyone else?"

"It's confusing," Giichi said. "I'd rather not think about it though. I want to return to my music straight away."

"You can have fun doing that later," Meowykins said. "Right now, I'm explaining the deal! The bees knees! The hizzle jizzle! The wakka cracka! The ihodi(#ufsi)# ! Meow!"

"What was that last thing?" Nanao asked.

"You can earn Meow Bucks by doing certain tasks for me. If you earn Meow Bucks, you can use it to buy some novelty items in some of our stores, _or_ you can use it to open up new stores for access to their items."

"What kind of jobs would we need to do?" Mitsuo asked. "Don't tell me they're gonna be fuckin' stupid!"

"No, no!" Meowykins said. "My jobs require a noble, strong, and diligent heart!"

"I'm all of those things," Miyoko said. "Though I highly doubt any of your tasks will appeal to me."

"Really?" Meowykins asked, surprised. "I was sure for a second there that you guys would be willing to work together with me, and shop your hearts away!"

"I still don't get why you're making us shop in the first place," Taikan said.

"I-It makes no sense, no matter what you do with the idea," Tatsuya said. "We want a better explanation than just, to shop!"

"What's the deal?" Meowykins asked. "Don't you all like shopping? Meow?"

"I could never stand the damn thing," Giichi said. "Unless it's for music."

"I like this idea!" Nanao exclaimed. "Shopping is my third favorite thing, next to running, and watching the latest episode of whatever is popular on TV!"

"Honey, no, it isn't a good idea," Teruyo said. "But, then, does that mean the mattress store is closed?"

"Yes ma'am!" Meowykins said.

"Damn," Teruyo said under her breath. "Alright you guys. The first store we are opening with our Meow Bucks will be the mattress store!"

"Don't be stupid," Etsuya said. "We have one hundred Meow Bucks already. We don't want to waste them."

"Is there a way to get out of here?" Junichi asked. "You don't expect us to stay here our whole lives, do you?"

"Of course not!" Meowykins said. "That'll be too boring! Meow!"

"Then when will you free us?" Tatsuya asked. "I-I want out, now!"

"Hold your donkeys!" Meowykins said.

"T-the term is 'hold your horses!'" Tatsuya said.

"Whatever," Meowykins said. "You can't get out right away. But I assure you. Getting out is very, very simple!"

"How do we do it?" I asked. "How do we get out of here and return to our school life?"

"How do you return to your school life?" Meowykins asked. "Well, that's a way to put it, meow!"

"Just answer the question," Junichi snapped.

"Fine, fine," Meowykins said. "What you must do, is just unlock all the stores! Unlock each and every single thing that you can here, and you will be set free! Meow!"

That was it? All we had to do is unlock every single store?

"Uh, okay," I said. "That's… not bad, I guess."

"Never mind that," Etsuya said. "How long will that take?"

"There are a total of 100 stores in this very large mall," Meowykins said. "Including a few restaurants, a few recreational things, and even an indoor amusement park! Meow!"

"I love indoor amusement parks!" Nanao exclaimed. "I love any kind of amusement parks! I've been on _such _big roller coasters!"

"Is this really all we have to do?" Are asked. "The task seems a little too simple."

"Well, the tough part is _earning_ the Meow Bucks," Meowykins said. "Don't expect to earn twenty Meow Bucks by just painting a fence or something Tom Sawyer like."

"So, we earn Meow Bucks by completing tasks for you?" Yujiro asked. "What kind of tasks would they be like?"

"Are they dangerous?!" Taikan asked, concerned.

"They really aren't _that_ dangerous," Meowykins. "To your health, anyways. Meow!"

"This is ridiculous," I sighed. "But if we want to get out of here, I guess we have to do what this thing says."

"Don't brush me off as just a thing!" Meowykins said, depressed. "I'm an adorable puppy! Meow!"

"Dogs don't bark!" Mitsuo said. "They meow! …Dumb **bitch.**"

"Your personality changes are beginning to become even more erratic," Meowykins said. "I don't really know how I feel about that, meow…"

I looked at everyone's faces, and we all exchanged glances. They said the same thing: this guy was an absolute nutcase. As soon as we get out, we'd go straight to the police. The public force. We'd get this guy in jail…

Wait a minute… the police?

_Soundtrack: Weekly Despair Magazine_

"W-wait," I said. "Surely we can't be locked in here forever."

"Why not?" Meowykins asked. "You don't believe in my pure awesome powers of defense? Meow?"

"No, it's not that," I said. "But wouldn't people notice we were gone?"

"Y-yeah," Junichi said. "They'd eventually find out that we aren't going to Hope's Peak at all. Our whole class would be missing."

"I predict they are considering the possibility of outside help," Dawn said. "I cannot blame this thought, as I was thinking about it myself."

"Outside help… is it really coming?" Yujiro asked.

"What?!" I said, shocked. "How can you say that?"

"No need to respond," Yujiro responded. "I was only talking to myself over there."

"Anyways, cutting you guys off at a convenient time, that is a very good question, Rumiko-kins!" Meowykins said. "If you want an answer to that… let me tell you something! Let me tell you something real good! Meow!"

"That reminds me of an old song," Giichi said. "I can't help but think that it doesn't exactly fit in the mood that we're in right now, though."

"Anyways, if you want a straight answer… I'm afraid that you're not in luck this time, meow."

"What?"

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

"There are no police coming, Rumiko-kins," Meowykins told me. "Does that disappoint you?"

No police? How is that possible? No outside help at all?

"I don't believe it for one second," Etsuya said.

"That is clearly an empty claim!" Hideyoshi exclaimed.

"I refuse to believe this as well," Miyoko said. "The outside world will not, and cannot disgrace themselves like this."

"Well you all had better believe it," Meowykins said. "There's no chance of anyone from the outside world of saving you, meow."

"Why would we believe that?!" I snapped.

"Because I locked you up here, right?" Meowykins said. "Y'all are not very bright; having me repeat every single damn thing."

"Shut up!" Etsuya snapped.

"It is… hard to believe that no outside help is coming," Yujiro said. "But I guess the smart thing to do would be to listen to Meowykins for now."

"H-how can you be so calm about this?" Junichi asked. "This thing expects us to believe that help isn't on the way!"

"I don't like to get my hopes up for anything," Yujiro replied. "That's just me though. I'm just trying to get everyone to cooperate a little."

"Cooperate for what? To listen to this dog?" Taikan asked.

"That's right! I'm a dog! Meow!"

"May I ask the situation with our families?" Dawn asked.

"Your families?" Meowykins asked. "I wish I had a family."

"If outside help isn't coming, it's safe to assume our parents aren't either, right?" Are asked.

"My mom was going to pick me up though after school!" Nanao cried.

"I-isn't Hope's Peak a boarding school?" Tatsuya asked.

"My mom and I were going shopping after school!"

"But does that mean we won't see our parents every again?" Mitsuo asked.

"You got it, dude! At least, not until you get out of here!"

"M-moooommmmmmyyyyyyy!" Mitsuo cried. He sank to the floor and covered his face with his sleeves, sobbing, as if he didn't have his cruel other half.

"Y-you're actually believing this thing?" Etsuya asked Mitsuo. "I'm sure that help will arrive… there's no chance that it won't."

"I'm sure there is a slim chance," Yujiro said. "So don't worry, all of you. We'll get out eventually, whether it's by outside help, or by doing what Meowykins asks of us."

"Your attitude is… refreshing," Miyoko said. "But we don't even know the tasks that Meowykins requires of us as of now."

"For all we know, it could be incredibly dangerous!" Taikan worried. "I-I don't know about this."

"I said it wouldn't harm your health," Meowykins sighed. "Arthritis brain?"

"W-what's arthritis brain?" Nanao asked nervously.

"Never mind that," Meowykins sighed. "I'm done with all of you here."

"You're done with us? What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means I have nothing more to share to y'all!" Meowykins said. "Duh! Meow!"

Meowykins waved goodbye, and hopped off the podium. Junichi ran to the otherside of the podium, and fell back.

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

"H-he's gone," Junichi said.

"Well at least we won't have to deal with it anymore," I sighed.

"You mean for now," Dawn said. "I believe that thing will come back later."

"I-I don't want to deal with this," Taikan said nervously, pulling his hat over his eyes. "I-I can't deal with this. I'm too weak."

"W-we're in the same boat," Tatsuya said.

"This isn't the way to act right now," Are said. "We need to buck up and do something to get out of here."

"It's understandable though, isn't it?" Yujiro asked. "We've been forced in a situation that most normal people wouldn't be able to comprehend. I think it's miraculous that the majority of us are acting the way that we are."

"M-mommy," Mitsuo sniveled. "I can't believe I'll never see her again…"

"Meowykins never said _never_," Junichi comforted. "It just said until we get out of here."

"B-besides, if we get out in a few months, you'll be able to see her even quicker than if you attended Hope's Peak," I said. "So it's okay."

"…Okay!" Mitsuo said, lighting up almost instantly. "Hey, _**wanna fuck?!**_"

"Oh! Lookie!" Shina said. "His erratic personality is back!"

"This information only bothers me slightly," Giichi said. "But all I need is my music." Giichi put his headphones back on, and paid no attention to any of us.

"J-just ignore him," Junichi said.

"If anything, we should go and explore the rest of the mall," Yujiro said.

"We've done all the exploring we need to," Nanao said. "I mean, we've already explored what we can."

"We explored the opened areas," Yujiro said. "Don't you think we should plan on which stores to open and which stores not to open?"

"We need a gun store!" Taikan exclaimed. "We're gonna shoot that Meowykins out of the sky!"

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"M-Meow!" Meowykins stammered. "Y'all would actually _shoot_ me?"

"Why wouldn't we?" I asked.

"B-because I've been such a kind host!" Meowykins said.

"Ha! That is so not true!" Shina laughed.

"I-I'm so upset now," Meowykins said. "Why would you all want to shoot me? I'm so precious… I'm like Honey Boo Boo on Halloween."

"Honey Boo Boo is American though," Shina observed.

"I think Meowykins watches trash TV," Dawn says.

"W-well! What do you define as trash?" Meowykins asked.

"My suspicions are confirmed," Dawn sighed.

"Hmph!" Meowykins grunted. "It appears that I can't give y'all all the freedom that you want!"

"We did _not_ have complete freedom!" Taikan snapped.

"By the way, where's Lucy?" Meowykins asked. "She probably feels a little down because she has no dialogue."

"Lucy ran out like the pussy she is," Etsuya sighed. "If anything, she's going to crack under the pressure first."

"Oh, I see," Meowykins said. "Am I really that intimidating?"

"Going back on topic, what kind of freedoms will you limit us from?" Are asked. "I imagine that you are setting us certain rules?"

"Yes ma'am!" Meowykins exclaimed. "How did you know? You aren't even psychic like Dawn!"

"Then what are these rules?" I asked. I couldn't imagine any good out of them.

"W-well, if I just went out and_ told _you, it wouldn't be much fun," Meowykins said.

"Then how the hell are we supposed to find out what they are?" Taikan asked.

"I ponder these rules," Hideyoshi said. "I wonder whether or not the will become a hindrance to my personal life."

"O-Of course they will!" Tatsuya said.

"Okay, well, I guess I should give you the rules and stuff," Meowykins started. "First, let me pass out something I forgot to give to y'all earlier. Meow!" Meowykins took out a cardboard box from behind the podium, and gave each of us some sort of electronic device. It looked pretty advanced.

"I'm handing out what I call ElectroIDs," Meowykins said. "Get it? It's electronic, and it's also an ID!"

"It's an ID?" Junichi asked.

"Yup!" Meowykins said. "It can be used to identify you anywhere! It displays your real name, your age, your bust size, the good stuff!"

"B-bust size?" Tatsuya asked.

"I have no need to know mine," Teruyo said. "I wonder if… someone _does_, though."

Tatsuya grabbed a tissue and wiped his nose of blood as Meowykins hit a button on a remote control. Our ElectroIDs immediately turned on, and true to Meowykins' word, all of my personal information was suddenly displayed right in front of me. My name, my age, my height, etc.

"I'm not even going to ask how this thing figured all of this out," Junichi sighed.

"Anyways," Meowykins started. "I believe I have your interest now with these things! Please open up the school rules page! It's on the right column, and it's a touch screen too! Isn't that just nifty?"

I looked at my ElectroID, and next to all my personal information was a column of different sections. It listed down like this: "Personal Information, Map of the Mall, Operating Hours, and Rules of the Mall." I tapped on the "Rules of the Mall" section, and the screen immediately switched into a display of text.

"These are the school rules?" I asked.

"Please read them quietly to yourself!" Meowykins asked. "Or with someone. I really don't care, meow."

I glanced back down at my ElectroID, and proceeded to read the rules.

_**Rules for Having the Best Time in My Beautiful Mall!**_

1 – Do not show any resistance! Meow! If you want to live peacefully in this mall, you shall do the tasks I require you to do! Don't you want to earn some Meow Bucks anyways? Meow?

2 – Please refrain from commenting about the fact that I am a dog that meows, meow.

3 – You can use Meow Bucks that you earn from certain tasks to open up different stores around the mall. Meow, collect them all!

4 – Some stores have operating hours. That means that the store will be off-limits until that time. Stores with operating hours are listed in the "Operating Hours" section of your ElectroID. Meow!

5 – P-Please no violence against me, meow! I'm just an innocent little dog!

6 – I really could care less whether or not you "kink it up." Just keep it healthy and away from the cameras, because I'm Christian.

7 – No littering! I don't want to have to pick up after your crap! Meow! :(

8 – No stealing! Inventory gets expensive!

9 – Failure to abide to these rules will result in a three strike punishment system. You do not want to get the third strike, meow.

I finished reading the rules, and my face immediately scrunched up. I wasn't sure how to react to most of these rules, since some of them were so silly. Some of them did raise a few questions though.

"Did you finish?" I asked Junichi. He nodded, and had the same reaction I had when reading my rules.

"Uh, I have a few questions," Junichi said, raising his hand.

"What is it, Junichi-kins?" Meowykins asked.

"The sixth rule," Junichi started.

"Eww! Don't think about that _already!_" Meowykins interrupted. "If I were a guy, I'd try to bond with all the other girls, right?"

"Junichi, you can… talk to me after this, okay?" Teruyo said.

"N-no," Junichi said. "It wasn't about the kink part. I was going to ask about the cameras."

"Is there any area in the malls that don't have camera vision?" Yujiro asked.

"That's a secret," Meowykins said, immediately sweating up. "Y'all can't find that out till later, meow."

"Then what was the point of adding that rule?" I sighed.

"Uh, next question, Junichi?"

"A-alright," Junichi said. "These punishments… it's a three strike punishment system. So like, first offense, second offense, and third offense."

"Yes sir!" said Meowykins. "I knew all of y'all want to the third grade!"

"What are the offenses?" Junichi asked.

"Oh, you'd like to know!" Meowykins said. "I'll tell you the first two, but the last one is something that will only be revealed if it actually **comes to that!**"

"Oh?" Dawn asked. "Is it important?"

"You probably already know what it is," Meowykins said. "You being an esper and what not."

"I cannot see the future for this one," Dawn replied.

"Never mind that, what are the two offenses, at least?" Are asked.

"Okay!" Meowykins started. "Here it is! **First offense!** A big time out in the department store!"

"…A time out?" I asked.

"Ha! That's _so_ stupid!" Shina laughed.

"M-moving on," Meowykins said, looking clearly upset. "**Second offense!** A group punishment, and a reduction to _all_ of your Meow Bucks that you saved up!"

"I can see how that would be bothersome," Yujiro said. "Is that it?"

"Yup," Meowykins said.

"I do have another question though that doesn't relate to the rules," Yujiro said. "Where are we exactly supposed to sleep?"

"Oh!" Meowykins exclaimed. "Your dorms are in a separate building that I built, all by myself!"

"Y-you built dorm rooms by yourself?" I asked.

"I just said that, right?" Meowykins sighed. "If you pass the indoor amusement park, there's a side entrance to the mall that people used to take. The doors are unlocked, because they were modified with walls leading to a different building."

"This building has our dorm rooms?" Yujiro asked.

"I just said that too, right?" Meowykins said, clearly irritated. "Why do y'all always have to confirm things? Irritating! Meow!"

"Anyways, you guys were talking about exploring the mall, so I'll leave now. I took up too much of your time! I discussed the rules anyways, so, bye! Meow!"

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

Meowykins vanished in an instant, right in front of our eyes. We didn't really have the capability to act stunned, as a result of what happened to us already. We were knocked out, taken to this school, and now we had to listen to a stuffed dog talk to us like we were its slaves. Worn out, I got up from my seat, and stretched, and prepared to leave.

"Going so soon?" Junichi asked me. "Don't you think we should discuss over some of this with the others?"

"What's there to discuss?" I asked. "What happened is clear. "We've been locked up in this mall and there isn't anywhere to go until we open up all the stores. So I'm going to look at the other stores."

"Yo! Rumiko!" Shina called after me, as she approached me with Taikan. "I like the sound of your last name! Fun! A! Bash! Woo! A fun party!"

"That was so off topic, it's not even funny," Taikan sighed.

"Where you going, Rumiko?" Shina asked. "Yahoo! It's a party wherever **Fun**_a_bashi goes!"

"I have an irritable personality stacked up with my heart problems and anti-social skills. It is definitely _not_ a party wherever I go."

"O-oh," Shina said, stunned at my response. "Well, okay, I guess. Catch ya later, then." Shina left the concert hall, and the others followed after her rather quickly. Junichi, Taikan and I were the last ones to leave.

"You shouldn't push people away like that," Junichi said. "It's what got me bullied my entire life."

"It's hard to change your personality," I said. "I was basically forced into being like this by the media."

"You seem so inspiring on the documentaries though," Taikan sighed. "It's hard to believe that you're actually like this."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked.

"O-oh! Nothing!" Taikan said. "Nothing at all!" he whistled and ran out of the concert hall, taking the easy way out.

"We should go too," Junichi said. "We should probably explore some of the stores we haven't opened up yet."

"We didn't look at the department store either," I said. "We should take a look at that, right?"

"Probably," Junichi said. "We should take a look at the dorms too."

I nodded, and the two of us left the concert hall and headed outside.

* * *

_**Location: Mall East Wing (Outside of Concert Hall) | Time: 11:36 AM | Prologue | Day One**_

By the time we had left the concert hall, everyone had already left to do their thing. Unsure of where everything was, I opened up the map from my ElectoID. We were at the East Wing of the mall, which started directly outside of the concert hall. On this side of the mall were the Department Store, the Arcade, a Clothing Store, and a Sit Down restaurant.

"We should go to the department store next," I said. "We're closest to it anyways."

"I wonder what we'll find in there," Junichi pondered. "I hope there's at least something interesting."

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Remember though, you can't buy anything!" Meowykins said, popping up out of nowhere. "Meow!"

Junichi jumped and squealed, stepping back and falling on his bottom.

"Don't sneak up on us like that!" Junichi said, startled.

"Why not? It's sort of fun, isn't it?" Meowykins asked. "Y'all need a sense of humor. You won't get by in this world without a sense of humor, meow."

"I won't get by with a heartattack neither," I snapped.

"Oh, that's right!" Meowykins said. "I need to give special treatment around you! Ya got some heart problems, don't you? Meow?"

"That's the reason I was brought to this school," I sighed.

"I guess if I jump on you like that, you could _technically die._ Meow."

"Yeah," I said. "So don't do that, please."

"Yeah, don't do that," Junichi sighed. "It's not cool!"

"You know what ain't cool?" Meowykins asked. "Global warming. Damn people littering everywhere. It makes a poor dog like me sad, you know? Meow?"

"I don't really follow," Junichi said.

"Anyways, enjoy the department store!" Meowykins said. "Lots of good stuff in there, though like I said, you can't take anything out of the store, or that would be stealing."

With that, Meowykins left faster than a snap of the fingers.

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

"That dog is beginning to get on my nerves," Junichi sighed. I nodded in agreement, and the two of us headed to the department store. It took only a few moments, and before we knew it, we were standing out in front of the gigantic store.

"You like shopping?" Junichi asked me.

"Hate it," I said, and I left it at that. I hated shopping. I felt like a dude when I used to walk in a store and watch my mom buy perfume. It was excruciating.

"Oh," Junichi said. "Well, I hate it too. So we won't spend a lot of time in there, cool?"

I nodded, and the two of us stepped inside the store, unprepared of what was about to come soon after.

* * *

_**Location: The Department Store (F1) | Time: 12:17 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

We spent a few minutes skimming through the store. There wasn't anyone here since everyone else probably explored this place, and was off looking at some of the closed stores and planning on what to buy. While Junichi was up on the second floor, I was on the first. There were a bunch of clothes spread across the place, and a section secluded at the back for kids, with toys and figurines.

I headed back there, and to my confusion, there were only three kinds of dolls there. There was a pink bunny, a white teddy bear, and a doll that resembled Meowykins. I picked up a Meowykins doll, and noticed a tag attached on its neck that said, "squeeze me!" It was one of those dolls that had a sound button as a gimmick. I squeezed its chest, and it made a wheezing noise that was rather disturbing. I put the doll down, and moved to the next one. I picked up the white teddy bear, and squeezed its stomach to see if it made any noise. It didn't so I put it down. Next, I picked up the pink bunny, and squeezed its chest.

"Pwease listen to me," it said.

"Wow, it's loud," I said.

"Pwetty pwease? Pwease listen to me?"

I didn't even touch it that time. Confused, I put the doll down, and turned around.

I was in for the shock of a lifetime.

_Soundtrack: Ms. Monomi's Practice Lesson_

"Pwease! Listen! To! Me!"

I let out a huge scream that might as well have attracted anyone who would be in this department store.

"Vewy good!" the bunny said. "I'm sowwy for sneaking up on you."

"W-what are you?!" I asked in shock. "Another stuffed doll?!"

"My name is Usami!" the doll said. "I'm here to wescue you guys!"

"R-rescue us?" I asked. "From Meowykins?"

"Well, I actually can't yet," Usami said, looking disappointed. "My magical staff isn't quite done from weheating…"

As I stared at the doll in shock, I grabbed at my heart again, feeling it slowly burn up.

"Oh! Sowwy!" Usami said. "Are you that girl who has the heart problem?"

I nodded, not letting out a single word to that stuffed doll, and she stuffed her face in her arms. She shook her head as if she was having some sort of seizure, and she apologized immediately for giving me a shock. Hearing all this, Junichi headed down, and ran towards me, not noticing Usami.

"Rumiko! What's wrong?" Junichi asked.

I pointed nervously at Usami, and Junichi turned his head. He didn't react for a second, and only stared at Usami, who waved her arm. Junichi slowly turned his head towards me, and we ran out of the department store in a hurry, leaving Usami behind. I thought I heart Usami mutter a sigh. Junichi carried me out, seeing as he didn't want to get my heart in a huge problem, and we headed to the food court, running away from that stuffed doll.

Why was there another stuffed doll? Why isn't it just Meowykins?

What the hell was going on?!

* * *

_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 12:50 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

Junichi set me down on a chair, and placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath. Not uttering a word, he took a seat back down, and grabbed his head. His face was blue with shock, and I couldn't blame him. I trained myself to not get scared easily because of my heart, but that thing was just something else. Two talking stuffed dolls?

That doll said something to me about getting us out of here and to safety. Was she going to help us? It's not like we exactly gave her enough time to talk anyways.

"T-that was something else," Junichi sighed, finally talking. I could see sweat trickle down from his forehead. Or were they tears?

"I know," I replied. "I definitely didn't expect that."

"Expect what?" Yujiro asked, coming in from nowhere.

"A-ah!" Junichi squealed. "N-nothing! Nothing at all!"

"No, there's obviously something," Yujiro said, very politely. "Is there something wrong?"

"N-no, of course not," Junichi said. "We just… yeah. Meowykins snuck up on us and, woah.

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Don't lie, y'all!" Meowykins snapped, popping up from the ceiling. "I don't appreciate that kind of behavior in my mall!"

"I-It's him!" Junichi squealed, clearly acting.

"That's not very convincing," Yujiro said, smiling. "Meowykins, you didn't meet up with these two, did you?"

"…No," Meowykins said. "But I bet y'all know something."

"What do we know?" I asked. "We know nothing."

"Oh **bullshit!**" Meowykins snapped. "I did not pay an annual fee of a thousand dollars to that crack job therapist just to break now! So tell me what the hell you saw! Meow!"

"W-we didn't see anything," I said.

"…Okay, just breathe, Meowykins…" Meowykins said to itself. "Just breathe… in, and out. In, and out. Meow, and meow…"

Yujiro looked at me with a frown, and as soon as I looked in his directions, he reversed, smiling at me and looking away.

"Well, okay," he said. "I believe you guys." Yujiro walked away, and Meowykins rubbed his face.

"A-anyways, I came by here to tell y'all something," Meowykins said. "It's about the **first task** that y'all can do for me. Meow…"

"The first task?" Junichi asked. "What is it?"

"J-just go to the Game Store," Meowykins said. "I'll beat y'all there."

The Game Store? What could Meowykins want in a game store? Meowykins left after that to fetch the others, and we looked at each other with worry. We weren't sure about whether or not these tasks were good or not. I had a huge doubt that it would be anything good, so I just decided to go with the flow.

"Don't worry," Junichi said. "We're doing this task together. I'm sure it won't be anything too bad."

"I hope," I said.

"Can you walk?" Junichi asked, as I was still recovering from my near heart attack back at the department store.

"Y-yeah," I said. I got up from my seat, and the two of us struggled to the game room, unsure of what to expect.

* * *

_**Location: The Game Store | Time: 1:20 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

When we got to the game store, we saw everyone already there. Some of them were huddling in the back, worried about what to expect, and others looked absolutely carefree, looking at the video games shelved up. After waiting a while, Meowykins brought the last person, Lucy.

"This girl was so defiant," Meowykins sighed. "Meow!"

"L-Lucy," I said. "Are you okay?"

Lucy nodded, and shuddered. "I'll be fine," she said.

I nodded, and Meowykins took as all to the door leading to the back room.

"Where does this take us?" Yujiro asked.

Giichi cranked down the volume of his headphones, as Shina shadowed over him, and Meowykins took out a pair of keys.

"You'll see," Meowykins said. "You'll see very soon, meow."

We looked at each other as Meowykins took out a large silver key, and placed it in the door's keyhole. Meowykins cranked the key to the right, and a loud click was heard. The door opened, and we all stepped into darkness.

* * *

_**Location: ? | Time: 1:25 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

Meowykins took us into the dark room, and turned on the lights. What we saw were rows and rows of computers. In each column, there was a flag lined up in front of it. The United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and even Russia.

"W-what is this?" Are asked. "What are we supposed to do here?"

"T-this reeks of ominous!" Tatsuya shrieked.

"You do too," Etsuya sighed.

"This is so cool!" Mitsuo exclaimed. "I bet it's really expensive! _**And I bet I can break all of this to hell**_!"

"No breaking," Meowykins instructed. "Now, I would y'all to sit in one computer, and turn it on. Meow!"

We did as told, and we turned on our computers near simultaneously. A strange screen popped up, with Meowykins' face winking. A window popped up, with a place where we could type something. In front of it, it said: "please input code."

"P-please input code?" Are asked. "What is this?"

"For your first task… for a generous one hundred Meow Bucks… **Please hack the government databases for each respective country!** Meow!"

We all made shocked noises at the same time.

"Y-you want us to hack government databases?" I asked. "Why?!"

"Oh, please," Meowykins said. "The government isn't even important right now. This is just practice for future tasks where you must hack nefarious organizations!"

"While the government is nefarious," Dawn started, "do you really expect us to do this?"

"Why not?" Meowykins asked. "Meow?"

"It's dangerous!" Taikan said. "I refuse to do this! They'll track it to us! We'll be arrested! Sent to prison! I can't do that!"

"Stop being so defiant," Meowykins said. "You don't need to worry about the government at all."

"S-shut up!" Taikan said. "I won't do this!"

"You'd better!" Meowykins snapped. "I have your life between my paws? You hear? Meow?"

"T-this is first offense for me!" Taikan said. "I'm just going to accept a nice, measly time out!"

"Wrong!" Meowykins snapped. "I'm changing first offense!"

"W-what?"

"First offense! Injury!"

"Injury?!"

Meowykins took out a small pistol from behind her back, and shot Taikan right in the chest.

_Soundtrack: Mr. Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson_

"…What the hell?" Taikan muttered. "T-this is too much…"

Taikan fainted and collapsed on the floor. Yujiro ran over to him immediately, and ripped out a piece of his shirt, wrapping it around Taikan.

"I have medical experience as a survivalist," Yujiro said while working on Taikan. "I got this. Just do as Meowykins says."

"Yup!" Meowykins said. "I would follow my directions if I were you! Yujiro-kins, you have permission to take Taikan to the infirmary and treat him! I have to deal with these guys, meow!"

Yujiro carried Taikan out of the room, and the rest of us were too shocked to do anything. Meowykins laughed and laughed, and laughed some more.

What was happening?

Taikan was just shot. Would he survive?

"It's just a gunshot," Junichi said, as if he were reading my mind. "I'm sure he'll be okay."

"I predict that he'll be just fine," Dawn said, swallowing in her fear. "Do not worry, everyone."

"Just goes to show, that you shouldn't defy your leader," Meowykins said. "Haha! Hahaha! Meow! Meeeoooowww!"

_Music halts_

"That's enough!"

"Huh?" Meowykins turned around, and faced the door. "Who said that?"

There was no response, and there was a strange ominous laugh emanating from our computers.

"Upupupu! That was quite a show, Meowykins!"

"This voice!" Meowykins said to itself. "W-what is that thing doing here?"

"Upupupu, I'd like everyone to please gather at the concert hall please! It's an emergency! Emergency!"

Suddenly, the screens on our computers changed. It wiped out and turned pitch black for a second, and then a strange emblem appeared in front of us. It was a face of a bear.

A black and white bear.

**AN: Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Please leave a review! Also, I was wondering whether or not you guys use the Soundtrack thing at all. If the majority doesn't, I'd rather not search Youtube endlessly for music pieces that match with the current mood, so please respond with that as well. :P  
**

**Thank you for reading!**


	4. Prologue IV: Lessons of Despair

**AN: Hello! I hope that you enjoy this chapter! Okay, everyone, please leave a review on **_**who you want to see during a Free-Time**_**.**** If you don't, then I'll pick two randomly. The top two wanted will be featured in a Free-Time. There will be 2-3 Free-Time's per chapter. There are none in the Prologue, but the first official chapter is coming soon. Also, feedback on the soundtrack would **_**greatly **_**be appreciated.**

**AnimesWorld: I never said Dawn was going to die first, lol. We just have to wait and see. Also I don't know why you're saying my favorite character is Dawn/Mitsuo since I don't have favorite characters, really, lol. But thank you for the review, still!**

**Onlyhalf: Thank you very much for the review! :D Hmm, I wonder how Usami is there… and what is Meowykins doing? And Monokuma too? These three toys are just big mysteries. Oh well. **

**Ode 30: Rumiko probably doesn't socialize that much because she was holed in a single room with heart problems and bullied a little bit. I hope we can all trust Junichi, it'll be terrible if we couldn't trust friends! :O Thank you for the reviews! :D **

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome DANGAN Island_

Usami: Oh my! Oh my! Things are heating up to the max!

Usami: My peaceful fabric heart is pounding with suspwense! It's hard to mwanage!

Usami: If only I had a pacemwaker! Or my magical staff!

Usami: Hmm… I wonder why I'm even doing this recap. I'm not even intwoduced in the storwy vewy well yet, am I?

Usami: I wonder who that voice belongs to. Oh my, I cannot wait to find out!

* * *

_Soundtrack: DISTRUST_

"Upupupu!" the voice said, through the computers. "I can't wait to meet my next roster! Let's make this the best year yet!"

"H-how did he get in here? Meow?" Meowykins stammered. "This is supposed to be an off-limits venture! Meow!"

"Who's that?" Shina asked.

"From Meowykins' reaction, I doubt that it's good news," Are said.

"M-my therapist didn't prepare me for this!" Meowykins stuttered. "I can't take this! Meow! I have to hide! Meow, meow, meow!"

Meowykins ran away and disappeared right in front of us. My eyes were fixed on the computer screen with that strange emblem of a teddy bear. Please don't tell me – another stuffed doll?

"What do you think is happening?" Junichi asked me. I shook my head to say that I didn't know, and he nodded in return.

"I-I don't want to go!" Tatsuya shrieked.

"I-I think it would benefit you for you to accompany us to the concert hall," Miyoko said. "After seeing what happened to Taikan, I'm not sure any of us will feel comfortable in leaving anyone alone. We don't want any more unwarranted injuries."

"Screw that," Etsuya sighed. "I honestly don't give a fuck about any of you. But I definitely value my life. I'm not ignoring this for shit."

"You have such a bad attitude!" Mitsuo cried. "How about thinking positively for once?! Help us!"

"Why in hell should I help **you** people?" Etsuya asked with contempt. "You don't think I actually care about any of you, do you?"

"If we do not make peace, we will not proceed with anything," Are said. "You _will_ help us when the time comes."

"As of now, we should make haste to the concert hall," Miyoko said.

I looked at Junichi to see his reaction, yet he was a cold stone. Seeing someone get shot in front of you is shocking, but it seemed like Junichi took it worse than anyone else here. I wonder what was bugging him so much? Did it remind him of a tragedy or something?

Either way, we had to proceed to the concert hall. Otherwise, there would be more trouble than necessary.

* * *

_**Location: Mall East Wing (Outside of Concert Hall) | Time: 2:53 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

As I waited outside the mall with the others, Shina was pounding on the doors, attempting to get in. For what reason whatsoever, the door was locked. There was an eerie silence in the air; an uneasy one, because we didn't know what to expect. Everyone standing outside the locked doors that would lead us to an uncertain future was showing clear fright, or at the very least, discomfort.

"This man," Etsuya started. "I wonder what he wanted from us."

"It didn't sound anything like a man," Nanao said. "It sounded like a cute creature!"

"Eh?! A cute creature can't talk through a microphone!" Shina said.

"S-somehow, I highly doubt it's a creature," Junichi said.

Tatsuya began to fiddle with his hat. Lucy began to rapidly zip up and down her sweatshirt. Giichi twirled the wire of headphones on his hand. These were the small things I noticed, and it showed that not everyone was as calm as another. We all had different lives. Different fears. Shina continued to rattle the doorknob, and after a minute or so, gave up.

"Honestly," she said. "Calling us down here and locking the door. The hell is that?"

"Other than that, I'm concerned for Taikan," Miyoko said. "I am not sure his current condition is a rather good one."

"It was only one gunshot," Junichi said. "It should be fine, right?"

"I would not be completely sure about that," Are said. "Single gunshots have killed numerous times before."

"Plus, the type of gun matters too," said Yujiro, walking in from behind us.

"Y-Yujiro?!" Tatsuya stammered. "What about Taikan?"

"Oh, he's dead!" Yujiro said.

"EH?!"

"J-Just a joke," Yujiro said nervously. "He's alive and in stable condition, so he should be fine…"

"That's not a joke!" Lucy cried.

What kind of social life did Yujiro have..? Even to me, I knew that was way off from what I would call a joke.

"Anyways, why aren't you guys going in?" Yujiro asked.

"The door is locked," Shina replied, sighing and taking deep breaths. She fiddled with her hair strings and began to kick on the door. "It's a little annoying now."

"Why aren't you guys going in?" Giichi asked.

"He _still_ won't lower his volume?!" Shina asked.

"Just ignore him," I said.

I walked up to the door, and looked through the tiny crack in the middle. I couldn't see anything from it, except that the podium was set up on stage again. Other than that, there was nothing out of the ordinary at all.

"What if this was a joke?" Mitsuo asked. "I like jokes!"

"I wish it was, but you saw how Meowykins reacted," Junichi said.

"I rationalize that whoever is operating this will not open the door very soon," Dawn said. "Though my intuition says I may be wrong on this one."

"What is it? Right, or wrong?" sulked Tatsuya.

"If we trust Dawn's judgment, then it will be quite a while before whoever called us down here allows those doors to be open," Are said. "Shall we move on? Or should we wait here?"

"I want to go _mattress shopping_," Teruyo said. She walked up to Yujiro and winked, and did a split on the floor. I wonder if being a slut was a natural color for her?

Either way, it seemed like we had enough time to wander off somewhere else until whoever called us down here arrived. I didn't have anything to do either, but I didn't feel like doing nothing at all. Should I interact with others? Or should I isolate myself?

No matter what my answer was, Junichi would be there. He's been following me and has been protective for the majority of the time I was here. I wasn't sure how to call someone a friend, and I wasn't sure if Junichi considered me as one. Yet, he seemed kindly enough, and I guess the two of us bonded on a personal level. Our social lives were basically the same; albeit, the bullying towards me wasn't so extreme because of my heart condition.

Realizing that I was rambling on to myself, I just decided to check out the dorm rooms. We hadn't checked up on them yet, so Junichi and I went to where Meowykins described the dorm rooms to be located. Walking there was a bit strange. I never walked to another place with someone else. The two of us were talking, though I didn't know how I could ever maintain a conversation with someone up until now.

If we were left alone, or we did really attend Hope's Peak, I wonder how things would change, if they would change at all? Would I be friendless, and would Junichi be off with the others? Is it because we were forced into this situation, the others felt like we had to work together? My thoughts were spinning on a wheel of negativity. A spectrum of gray colors. It felt weird to _think_ this. When I was with Junichi, that spectrum lit up, just a little bit.

Honestly, what a whore. That's what I thought to myself. It's barely been a day, and I'm already seeing Junichi as my best friend in the world. Well – I never _had_ a friend, but I'm saying that I'm treating him with a relationship greater than what it should be right now. We had barely spent enough time together, and I'm going on and on about how Junichi keeps protecting me. It's easy for that to change, even if we have to do those rotten tasks for Meowykins.

Letting my thoughts get ahead of me, the two of us finally arrived at the tunnel. We exited the doors, and true to Meowykins' words, we were led into a tunnel. The tunnel was actually nice. It was glass, so natural light shone through as we walked across. It looked pretty. A strange sight mixed in within this terrible situation, but nice, nevertheless. It was definitely very weird of me to say that. Eventually, we reached the end of the tunnel, and there was a door that looked like it was painted in front of a wall. Junichi turned the doorknob, and held the door as I walked through it and took a look at the housing.

It looked like one of those resort hotels. There were lots of floors, arranged in a hexagonal shape. An elevator was placed in the middle, and there were catwalks along the side, leading to our rooms.

"This is where we're going to stay?" Junichi asked, clearly satisfied. "That's pretty cool!"

"Yeah," I said. "Better than all the hospital rooms I've stayed in, at least."

As we walked around the first floor, there were a few places to see. There was a restaurant in the corner of the hotel, and in the other corner was a convenience store, with food and medicine. It was stocked with popular fatty food items. There was a sign at the exit of the store from Meowykins. It read: "_Everything here is for free! Enjoy!"_

"Sweet," Junichi said. "We don't have to spend any Meowy Bucks on this crap."

"Calling it Meowy Bucks is only supporting Meowykins," I sighed.

The two of us boarded the elevator to search for our rooms, and we made a neat discovery. Each floor belonged to a single person, which was pretty cool, if I do say so myself. If I saw these rooms before I discovered what Meowykins' rotten tasks were, I wouldn't have really minded about our living conditions, at the very least.

"So, your floor is the top floor," Junichi said, reading a paper taped in the elevator. "You're not afraid of heights, are you?"

"No," I said. "I'll be fine up there."

_Soundtrack: AOE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"A-Are you sure?" Meowykins asked, popping in front of us in the elevator. Junichi yelped in surprise and jumped to the back of the elevator. I didn't exactly get scared this time, but it was an uncomfortable feeling to be jumped on like that.

"I-I mean, you, with your high problems…" Meowykins said. "I'm pretty sure this is what y'all humans call altitude… meow?"

"I've never had a big problem with it," I said. "Relax and leave."

"Y-you want me to leave?!" Meowykins shrieked. "Out _there?!_ Where that thing can find me and kill me in ways that y'all could never guess! Meow, that's frightening!"

"Oi, Meowykins!" Junichi angrily snapped. "Get out already!"

"…Oh," Meowykins said. "I get it. There's no one around… it's an elevator… But really, isn't it too earlier to have a ship going on?"

"A-A what?" Junichi asked.

"A ship!" Meowykins said, blushing and hiding its cheeks in its paws. "Ah! Young love is transpiring right in front of me! Meow, how lucky can I be? Luckily, cats are very common animals of lust. You know, whenever you watch cartoons, there's always that sexy cat lady! Meow!"

"I never watch TV," I said.

"You don't talk much at all," Meowykins said. "TV is a good outlet for that, meow!"

"But aren't you just here to hide from that man?" Junichi asked. "Or whatever that _thing_ was?"

Meowykins didn't respond, and only whistled a few moments after. We rode to the top floor in silence, and when the doors open, the two of us immediately exited, leaving Meowykins behind at the elevator. As the elevator sank down lower and lower, I explored what the dorms were like.

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

As it was in a hexagonal shape, there were six rooms per side. The first room was the bedroom, the second room was a TV room with a functional TV, the third room was a kitchen where we can prepare meals from the convenience store, the fourth room was a fire escape room, where if the elevator wasn't working, you'd take a ladder and climb down, the fifth room was similar, but with stairs, and the final room was a "special room" that tended to your talents. Mine was a hospital room plastered with posters of keeping your heart healthy. It was rather sickening.

"This feels like I'm being made fun of," I sighed.

"W-well, the ambience isn't all that bad," Junichi said, not sure how to respond. As we prepared to explore Junichi's room, there soon was a loud ringing noise.

_Music halts_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Hey! You bastards! Why'd you up and leave like that? Come back here right now! Jesus, don't parents teach you to be patient and all? I was confused on why you didn't come in when I opened the door, but oh well. Let's just put that behind us, and get your asses down here!"_

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

It was the same voice from back when we were attempting to hack government databases. Whoever that thing was interrupted us and told us to go to the concert hall. I wasn't sure at all what was going to happen at this point. When I walk into that concert hall, how badly should I be worried of the situation? How badly should I despair at the thought of not being able to comprehend even more? Because whatever this thing was calling us for, it was no mistake; not a good thing. With fear in my heart, I boarded the elevator with Junichi. His face was strained; it looked like he was having a same reaction as me. It was comforting to see that you're not alone, but it only made me worry more. If more than two people are worrying, it's a troubling sight. Walking into that concert hall… would it be the end of me?

* * *

_**Location: Mall East Wing (Outside of Concert Hall) | Time: 3:20 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

"Oi! Why the hell won't it open up again?!" Shina yelled in frustration. She pounded on the doors, and began to claw at it. "This bastard keeps calling us down when it's not even ready!"

"Sorry, sorry!" said a squeaky voice from behind us.

"Wh…at… the HELLLLLLLL?!" Tatsuya screamed. Startled by his reaction, we all turned around, and the sight we saw was something we would want to erase from our minds and forget. First, there was Meowykins. Then there was that bunny I saw at the department store. And now…

_Soundtrack: Monokuma-Sensei's Lesson_

A bear was standing right there, laughing like a maniac to himself. A stuffed bear.

"Sorry, I had to make an announcement in the PA room," the bear said. "If you noticed, there's a PA room _right_ over there where you can make announcements to the entire mall!"

"Ubaubaubaubaubau!" Shina mumbled. "This is too much for me! Two stuffed animals! What is this?!"

"I-I-I'm just a… a little coward!" Tatsuya said. "N-ngh! No!"

"Plus, I had to pick someone up!" As the bear walked over to behind a newsstand, he pulled out Taikan, who had a blue face, and a shocked reaction as well as all of us.

"T-this is a bear," Taikan said. "A stuffed bear that is talking, like that stuffed dog."

"I'm not a stuffed bear!" the bear said. "I'm Monokuma!"

"Y-your name is Monokuma?" Are asked.

"You need your ears cleaned?" Monokuma asked. "It's annoying when I have to repeat things, ya know! But, I guess I can't blame you! Today's youth are so brick headed, nothing will really get in your minds if I try anyways. Alright! Let me repeat it! My name is Monokuma! Don't forget it!"

"S-so there's three stuffed dolls right now?!" Junichi asked, startled.

"What do you mean three?" Monokuma asked. "The only other doll I know of right now is that weird excuse for a dog named Meowykins."

"E-er, Rumiko and I saw a stuffed bunny in the department store," Junichi said.

"There's another one?!" Taikan screeched. "O-okay, Taikan, calm down… collect yourself… do like your therapist says."

_Sounds like Meowykins a little,_ I thought.

"I cannot believe this!" Miyoko said. "As a knight, it is a duty not to think about anything that is illogical!"

"I've actually no idea what you're talking about," Monokuma said, taking out a hamster and petting it.

"Where'd you get that hamster?" Nanao asked. "Can I have it?"

"Sure!" Monokuma said. "You can have it after I kill it!"

"You don't kill hamsters!" Shina said. "You kill other things, like rats and raccoons with rabies!"

"I only have this hamster though," Monokuma said, sadly. I honestly had no idea what was going on at all. "Upupu… this sucks. I know it's wrong for a bear like me to kill a hamster… I love animals, seeing as I am one myself. Plus I don't need to eat."

"Well, we can cross you off the list for animal abuse!" Shina said. "What about human abuse?"

We all looked at Monokuma who began to spin in a circle. He swung his paws in the air, dropping the hamster and letting it skitter away.

"Well, you see, I think going to the concert hall would help," Monokuma said. "That way, you guys can sit down."

"I'm not going in there," Giichi said. "I'd rather listen to quality music out here."

"My voice is like singing, though!" Monokuma said. "No one can resist my sexy charm."

"I bet I could," Teruyo said. "See… I like to go mattress shopping."

"You're weird," Monokuma said, right off the bad. "But forget that. We are comrades now! We are friends, united together, to beat the evil things out there in the world! We will take down Meowykins, and all its evil charm!"

"You mean you want to help us?" Yujiro asked. "I doubt that's the case."

"Is it because I maul humans for fun?" Monokuma asked.

"No," Yujiro said. "But you calling us bastards in that announcement wasn't exactly a positive thing."

"What? Can't I be a pessimistic main character? You know, the kind of stereotypical shounen character that makes has a revolutionary epiphany, but in a bad way, right? And then they have thoughts of suicide, but they can't commit it, because they're the lame protagonist. That's why I watch ecchi. Otaku Monokuma-sensei!"

"You're so cute!" Mitsuo said. "Can I hug you?"

"I'm not a stuffed toy!" Monokuma said. "Hug Meowykins. I'm sure it won't mind. Besides, we're going to take him down anyways, right?!"

"Y-you really want to help us?" I asked.

"I'm a bear!" Monokuma said. "It's my nature to help humans!"

"Ha! Lies!" Shina laughed.

"I do doubt the possibility of this thing actually having good intentions," Miyoko said. "But perhaps we should trust it for now while we take down that nefarious Meowykins?"

"I believe we can make peace for the time being," Are said. "It won't be easy though."

"T-t-t-t-t-t-this is crazy," Tatsuya muttered. "M-m-m-m-making friends with a bear!"

"I-I can't believe it either," Taikan said. "But I guess we have to be positive about the whole thing."

"So it's finalized!" Monokuma said. "We're going to work together, and we're going to bring down that Meowykins, and get you guys out of here!"

We all looked at each other. Yujiro had a doubtful face, and refused to face any of us, but the remainder of us was looking at each other with a bowl of mixed emotions. What were we going to do? Were we going to trust this bear?

"Do we really have a choice?" Junichi asked, as if he were reading my mind. "I don't know if I want to trust this thing, but if it can really help us defeat Meowykins…"

_Music halts_

"Hold the phone!" said a familiar voice.

We looked at the horizon, and coming our way was a disturbing sight. Not as much to Junichi and I, but I could tell the others were clearly distressed.

_Soundtrack: Mrs. Monomi's Practice Lesson_

What we saw… was the pink bunny from earlier that we met at the department store.

"Hold the phone!" Usami said.

"Ack! Another doll!" Tatsuya screamed. "What the hell is this? I feel like my brain's going to burst! I can't do this anymore!"

"This doll seems nice!" Nanao said.

"It's cute too!" Mitsuo said.

"Aww… you're too nice," Usami said. "Stand back evewyone! This bear is not good news!"

"B-but it said it would help us," Taikan said. "Was it lying?"

"Of course it was!" Usami said. "The two of us had confwicting confwicts every day at one point! We'd go neck to neck in one-sided battles, but I had to stop this evil bear from hurting the others!"

"Oi…" Monokuma said. "I thought you were dead."

"A bwunny never dies," Usami said. "Stand bwack everyone!" Usami took out a staff, and waved it around in the air. Sparkles formed around where she waved her staff, and she pointed it at Monokuma. "This fwight won't be like last time!"

"Sigh," Monokuma said. "This is really a bother."

"Pwease don't see me as a bother!" Usami said. "I'm only twying to kill you!"

The sixteen of us took a step back, extremely confused and shocked at the entire situation. All around us were faces of smiles with hints of hysteria, frowns with thoughts of mild trouble, and faces showing extreme fear.

"Poo," Monokuma said. "I didn't even get to meet these guys."

"Don't worry, you guys!" Usami said. "After I defeat this evwil thing, I will get you guys off of the island!"

Usami waved her staff in the air some more, and a large circle of fire formed around her; a wide opening in the middle for anything to fit through. She began to murmur a spell as Monokuma tilted his head, watching as Usami prepared to take out Monokuma. While it was strange, I wondered if Usami was lying to us too. In truth, I actually wanted Usami to win. She seemed more trustworthy. But I never got the answer to my question – whether or not Usami was actually truthful about killing Monokuma.

_*Snap!*_

_Soundtrack: AOE Second Suite Movement 5P+3P_

"I've decided y'all!" Meowykins said, popping in from the ceiling, going through the circle of fire, and landing on Usami's staff, snapping it in half. The circle immediately dissipated from air, and he was standing on Usami's head. Usami showed no sudden movement, only looking forward as if she didn't know how to react. "I'm going to save all of us! Meow! I'm going to confront my fear! Meow! I'm going to battle Monokuma!"

Monokuma began to laugh hysterically, and in confusion, Meowykins looked down, and saw he was stepping on Usami.

"Who's this?" Meowykins asked.

"My little sister!" Monokuma said. "Monomi!"

"My name… is Usami," Usami said, with a clear tone of crying in her voice.

"Did I interrupt something?" Meowykins asked.

"Yes, you did!" Usami said. "I was going to defeat Monokuma, but you bwoke my only magical staff!"

"You should really carry some spares around," Monokuma swooned. "But I guess I can find a use for you in _my_ highschool field trip!"

Monokuma's highschool field trip? Things were just getting more and more shocking by the second. I felt my heart pounding, and it almost felt like it was going to burst at any second; as easily as a balloon you'd buy at a dollar store.

"Oops," Meowykins said. "Sorry."

"Don't just say sowwy!" Usami said, panicked. "We need to help this childwen!"

"I was just going to defeat Monokuma for my own selfish gain!" Meowykins said. "But if the two of us combine forces, we can still win, can't we?"

Monokuma tilted his head again, and made a whirring with his voice as a sign saying that he thought the two of them were complete idiots.

"You guys can wait in the concert hall," Monokuma said. "This won't take long."

_Soundtrack: Junk Food for a Dashing Youth _

"Hi-yah!"

Monokuma ran forward, and punched the two dolls. They flew up in the air, and got their heads stuck in the ceiling above. Monokuma jumped high, and ripped their bodies off, the fur falling from the ceiling to the ground.

"That was easy!" Monokuma said.

"D-did Monokuma just kill the two of them?" I asked.

"I-it looks that way, doesn't it?" Junichi asked.

"If there were a window to be seen, this would have resulted in defenestration," Hideyoshi said. "Tell me, Monokuma! The secret to your power, that is!"

Giichi tapped away, listening to his music, paying no mind to anything at all.

"That's that!" Monokuma said. "Let's all meet in the concert hall, now that Meowykins is defeated." Monokuma unlocked the doors to the concert hall, and disappeared for a split second, only to reappear on top of the podium.

* * *

_**Location: Concert Hall | Time: 3:51 PM | Prologue | Day One**_

_Soundtrack: DISTRUST_

"I'm a little worried," Taikan said to me, walking into the concert hall. I didn't know how to respond, and I only nodded, as Taikan looked at me with a genuine sadness. "You've got to help me! How do you hide your emotions?"

"I-I don't," I said. "I just don't feel much. I've been wringed out of them."

"Hush now! Hush now!" Monokuma said. "Let's begin our lesson for today!"

He pulled down a screen, and turned on a projector. On the screen was a paper, that read the following: "Mr. Monokuma's New Rules for Enjoying This Highschool Life of Mutual Killings."

"Mutual killings?!" Tatsuya squealed.

"This isn't for real, obviously," Lucy said nervously. "This is just a big lie…"

"I want my mommy!" Mitsuo said, crying.

"Now, now, shut up," Monokuma said. "I don't want a lengthy introduction, since it's all rather self-explanatory. So let me just go over the rules and introduce you guys to your _new_ field trip."

"E-eh?! A field trip?" Shina asked.

"I don't know what to say," Junichi said, his face in shock. "Killings sounds so… ugly!"

* * *

**Mr. Monokuma's New Rules for Enjoying This Highschool Life of Mutual Killings**

1 – To enjoy this highschool life efficiently, you will be locked in this mall forever. No exceptions will be made.

2 – If you wish to leave, you may do so by killing another student. However, it is expected that students do not betray your crime.

3 – The timeframe from 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM is known as "Nighttime." During this time, some functions are unavailable, such as water. Stores that do not have operating hours will remain open.

4 – The system of "Meowy Bucks" will be continued. Doing certain things will allow you to earn Meowy Bucks and open new stores.

5 – No violence against the headmaster is permitted.

6 – You are not allowed to break any cameras or microphones that you may come across.

7 – When a body is found, a class trial will be held to find the villain. When the villain is caught, a punishment will be held where only the villain is killed.

8 – A villain may kill no more than two people.

9 – Failure to abide to these rules will result in a brutal punishment.

* * *

"There we go!" Monokuma said. "Wasn't that great?"

"W-what do you mean by killing?" Hideyoshi asked. "As in…"

"Bzzt! Bzzt! Our nerd doesn't know what killing means!" Monokuma laughed. "It means that to leave this school, you all need to kill someone! Duh!"

"W-why would we do that?!" Lucy gasped.

"To get out, obviously," Etsuya said, at a loss for words.

"This is crazy!" Shina said. "Uabaubaubaubau!"

"Mmm, but what if we don't kill?" Nanao asked.

"I won't even justify that question with an answer," Monokuma said. "Let me briefly go over some of these rules that you bastards might question me about. First off, the real zinger! The highlight of this field trip! The class trial!"

A class trial..?

"What do you do during a class trial?" I asked nervously.

"It says in the rules, that when we hold a class trial, it's to find a villain," Yujiro said. "Isn't that right?"

"Right on the nose," Monokuma said. "You see, when someone is killed, it has to be murder! That's the whole point of killing, right?"

"M-murder?" Taikan asked with fear.

"That's right! Murder! You see, when someone commits a murder, a class trial will be held. A battle between the heroes – the innocent people, and the villain, the one who committed the murder. The villain will try to fool the others, and if the others pinpoint the wrong villain during a trial, the villain will be permitted to leave! But if the heroes get it right, then the villain is **punished!** And the trial ends! It's a real toot to watch!"

"What do you mean by punished?" Yujiro asked, as calm as ever. "Do you mean like… a spanking?"

"You wish it were that mild," Monokuma said. "But I mean something along the lines of… oh I don't know…"

_Music halts_

"A heart pounding execution!"

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to an Ocean's Aroma_

E-execution..?

"An execution?" Yujiro asked. "You mean like… an electric chair, for example?"

"Oh, come now!" Monokuma said. "It's going to be more exciting than a stupid electric chair, upupupu! It's heart pounding! It's exciting! It's absolutely fabulous!"

"This is bullshit," Etsuya said. "You don't have the power to kill any of us."

"Well, you'll see soon," Monokuma said. "You know, staying in one place, can lead to severe desperation. That desperation leads to insanity. You never know when one of your so called friends might crack and kill one another. That's what's so exciting, upupupu! The drama! The heartfelt conclusion! The pounding plot twist! It's all in one convenient package!"

"May I ask about a certain rule?" Are asked. "Why is a villain limited to only two victims?"

"Y-you see, I've had this problem before," Monokumas started.

"You've done this before?!" Tatsuya screamed.

"Yeah, you see, if a villain just decides to slaughter everyone, then they automatically win, right? That's no fun. But a double murder you see, it increases tension! Two people died, and one person did it! Scary stuff, right?"

"Yeah," Lucy said. "This is all too much… just… let me be… you stupid bear."

"Ubaubaubaubau!" Shina said again. I glanced at Giichi, and even he had a worried expression.

"I see," Taikan said. "But your rules… they have one major flaw."

Huh? It seemed like… Taikan's personality changed, almost like that…

"What is that, my dear friend?" Monokuma asked.

"To think that anyone would believe you," I said. "You're crazy. You can expect us to kill, but it won't work either way."

"We're known as a beacon of hope to the world," Yujiro said. "It's a real shame if we just up and go like that, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid," Taikan said. "But you're just asking too much of us! It's logic! You're wrong in every way, shape, and form!"

"…I won't stress you about this," Monokuma said. "You were just shot, after all. But do you guys want an example? Do you really want to see what power I have?"

"W-what?" I stammered.

"I won't show you now, but you'll see it eventually," Monokuma sighed. "Upupupu…upupupupupupupu…Nyahahahaha!"

_Music halts_

…Is it over?

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

"I-I think that's the end of that," Junichi said.

"T-Taikan, that was really cool, what you said," Nanao said.

"Do I see a new candidate for mattress shopping?" Teruyo said seductively.

"N-no," Taikan said. "I was just speaking my mind, as all."

"It was very inspirational!" Yujiro said. "But I pray that you aren't just saying that in the heat of a moment."

"Huh?"

"To make a claim like that, if you go back on it later, it only hurts you even more than it should," Yujiro said. "I hope you keep your words."

"I-I only said that Monokuma was wrong," Taikan said nervously. "There wasn't a deep meaning to it, or anything."

"I see," Yujiro said. "I think that's just what you want to think, but it's fine either way."

I looked at the others. They were recovering miraculously quickly from all of this… but… how could they? They were just told to kill each other by a stuffed doll. It sounds ridiculous, but if that doll is managing to keep us locked in here, and control and oversee our movements, isn't it likely that he's not lying? Junichi looked at me with concern, as my forehead turned hot.

I felt my whole body heat up. My heart was pounding, faster and faster.

"Y-you seem troubled," Yujiro said, approaching me. "Is your heart okay?"

"This must have been a huge pain for your heart," Junichi said. "I-I could take you to your bedroom, Rumiko."

"I can go on my own," I said, with a struggle.

"You don't seem that good," Taikan said. "M-maybe you should let Junichi carry you."

"Be grateful," Teruyo said. "A man like Junichi… is carrying you to your bedroom… I would be feeling adrenaline, right there… Ooh…"

"I-I have no comment," I said.

"My comrades," Dawn said. "Do not worry much about Monokuma's words."

"Why shouldn't we?" Mitsuo asked, crying. "I believed every word!"

"It's your innocent personality, huh?" Shina asked.

"I do not see a murder in the future," Dawn said. "I can tell that no one will murder in our current situation. We will all peacefully live in this mall until we can find a way out."

"Y-y-you're only 70% right though," Tatsuya said. "What if you're wrong?"

"What reason do we have to murder?" Dawn asked. "Is it just to get out of this mall? Isn't it smarter to find a way out together?"

"That's the spirit," Yujiro said, smiling. "We all need to work together to get through this. That's all."

Taikan arched his arm over his forehead, and bowed down. "May we work together in peace."

"Yes," Miyoko said. "We will get out of this situation. With our heads held high… may we bring down Monokuma together."

"I'm sort of curious about what Meowykins wanted us to do," Nanao said. "But we won't find that out now, will we?"

"Meowykins was just a pain in the ass," Etsuya said. "But I don't get this whole business of us working together."

_Music halts_

"What?" I asked.

_Soundtrack: DISTRUST_

"You expect me to trust you all?" Etsuya asked. "I won't do that. I probably want to get out of this place more than anyone else here."

"What's your point?" Yujiro asked. "Are you saying you won't hesitate to plot a murder?"

"Of course I won't!" Etsuya said. "What'll I do if I don't get out of here? I'll just have to kill someone, won't I?"

"If we think like that," Junichi started.

"Shut up, you red hair freak," Etsuya said. "I don't give a shit about your stupid status. I just want to get the hell out of here. I hope you're the first to go though!"

Junichi looked at Etsuya, his face grim.

"That's not the way to go," Taikan said. "W-we need to work together, and –"

"What do _you_ know about anything?" Etsuya asked. "You're just a fucking idiot, aren't you? All you do is fly a fucking plane."

"He's saved lives," Miyoko said. "He's saved many planes from crashing before. That is a very honorable trait to have."

"And you just keep talking about that bullshit honor," Etsuya said. "It's fucking sickening, you know?"

"Why are you acting like this?" Yujiro asked. "Do you feel the inclination to bully us?"

"What inclination?" Etsuya asked. "This is just how I am! This is how I always was! I'll commit this perfect crime that Monokuma wants us to create! Because I honestly don't give a shit about any of you. It's as simple as that!"

"How can you talk like that?" I asked.

"I don't really need a lecture from someone as anti-social as you," Etsuya smirked. "Just leave me alone, you guys. Can you really trust everyone here?"

Etsuya walked away, leaving us to wonder about his words.

Was he right, though..?

Was the only way to get out murder?

Could we trust anyone, on top of that? We all said that we'd trust each other, but…

Was this just a lie to help us keep sane?

To bond us together?

I hope it's a true promise, but…

I just didn't know.

"H-he was just kidding, right?" Nanao asked.

"I doubt it," Mitsuo asked. "That **bitch be crazy!**"

"I thought your personality was becoming more consistent!" Shina said. "Oh well!"

"Either way, we should probably just relax now," Taikan said. "We have a very long time until nighttime.

"R-right," I said.

We were supposed to relax…

Take a nap… eat some food…

But it was probably the most stressful six hours of my life.

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 10:00 PM | Prologue | Day One (Nighttime)**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys!"_ said Monokuma through the intercom. _"It is now 10:00 PM. Nighttime is now in effect. From this point on, some areas are inaccessible and the water will be shut off. Well then, sweat dreams…"_

I kept wondering that night, hearing Monokuma's voice pound through my head. What would the rest of our lives here be like? Would someone really kill?

No, I doubt it. But… there was still a little part inside of me.

It kept screaming at my face.

"Don't trust anyone."

_**End Prologue**_

_**Continued in Chapter 1: (ab)normal days**_

* * *

_SURVIVORS: 16_

Rumiko Funabashi | Junichi Goto | Dawn | Are Seo | Yujiro Watari | Tatsuya Okanaya | Miyoko Furisawa | Taikan Hiraga | Teruyo Kurata | Giichi Uyeda | Shina Wakabayashi | Mitsuo Okura | Hideyoshi Nakamoto | Nanao Kanai | Etsuya Yamamura | Lucy Carson

_Soundtrack: Monokuma-Sensei's Lesson_

**===MONOKUMA THEATRE===**

#1

Monokuma: The author would like to thank everyone supporting him!

Monokuma: This is the start of a brand new story!

Monokuma: What plot twists will we face?

Monokuma: What betrayals will be made?

Monokuma: Upupupu! My blood is rushing!


	5. Chapter One: (ab)Normal Days

**(AN: PLEASE READ THIS AN! There is a small change I'd like to make that is going to be completely canonical to this series! First, there's going to be a change in the name of killings. In the first DR, it was called Highschool Life, and in the second it was Field Trip, but for this one, the name is now changed into Shopping Spree of Mutual Killings. That's it, teehee. Also I lied when I said that (ab)normal days would be split among chapters. I decided to combine it in one chappie again :3**

**Onlyhalf: Lol, thank you for the review! I wonder what the motive of it is..?**

**Ode 30: Well Yujiro isn't exactly the most social person, being stuck on a survival camp for most of his life. Well it is quite early so everything will be revealed in the long run. Thank you for your free-time nominations, though. It seems Dawn is really popular!**

**Mr. Monobear and Ibuki Mioda: Like I said, Dawn is quite popular, huh? Thank you for your free-time nominations, and for the review!**

**AnimesWorld: The cat thing in the elevator was a big mistake on my part, so I apologize for that. It is a dog, for conformation, but I forgot about this part in attempting to add a little humor. Also, when Monokuma entered the school, all the rules changed completely. However, the you are right that the tasks that Meowykins were referencing will play into the story at one point, but right now it is all controlled by Monokuma right now. Meowykins will not have a sub name like Mononeku. Thank you for the review!**

**MonokumaSensei: Thank you very much for the review! I hope you like it at fanfiction! **

**Enjoy this chapter!)**

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE**

(ab)normal days

_How's About we Start With a Healthy Dose of Despair?_

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 12:03 AM | Chapter One | Day One (nighttime)**_

Etsuya's words were ringing in the back of my head, even as I tried to wipe them out of my memory. But I just couldn't. There are things that when you see or hear them, they'll be burned in the back of your mind no matter what you do to them. What Etsuya said… were they one of those things? What happened that day went by so quickly, yet what happened felt like just a few minutes ago. There were two questions that were hanging over my head by a thread. Was Monokuma serious about us having to kill each other to get out? If the answer to that question was yes, then would I really be able to trust everyone here?

In the concert hall, I remembered one moment where all I could do was stare at everyone and feel doubt towards them. I didn't feel like I could trust them one bit. Did they return that thought, or was it just me?

I just didn't know, and yet, I was able to fall into a light sleep.

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter One | Day Two**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys!"_ said Monokuma through the PA. _"It is now 7:00 AM. Rise and shiiiinnnee! Let's make today the best day it can be!"_

I woke up to that sickening voice. That terrible reminder of what happened just the night before. Monokuma forcing us to kill each other. I decided that I couldn't accept it for what it was, but… even still. To be able to control a stuffed bear like that and instill fear in all our hearts deserves some merits, if any.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma-Sensei's Lesson_

"Good morning, Rumiko!" Monokuma said, popping up in front of me. "Huh? You didn't jump back in surprise? Most people do when they see me popping up in their room from nowhere like that."

"I never flinch at things like this," I said. "I've trained myself not to do so because of my weak heart."

"Wouldn't you have died or something then?" Monokuma asked me. "Well, whatever. I'm just here to tell you about your super-secret benefits!"

"Benefits?"

"Since you have a weak heart, I can't really let you see things like, decapitation, dismemberment, or anything like that. It's too dangerous, and like it says in the rules, I can't let you die because of something stupid like that!" Monokuma took out a tissue, and blew his nose.

"Okay," I said. "So is that in then? If so, then leave."

"Aww…" Monokuma sighed. "You're no fun, are you?"

"Just leave," I said, as I headed towards the elevator. I looked back, and Monokuma was shaking his head in displeasure as the elevator took me down and down, deeper and deeper. The elevator stopped at the floor below me, and Taikan walked in.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

"Yo, Rumiko!" Taikan said. "What's up?"

I didn't respond, only nodding to acknowledge him.

"Come on," he sighed. "Talk to me for once… Why do you always have to ignore me?"

I turned my head, refusing to talk to him, and Taikan sighed and leaned against the wall.

"Yeah," he started. "I get it. I'm some sort of useless, right?"

Taikan Hiraga. The Super Highschool Level Pilot. He seems to be friendly and kind, but I can tell he's wearing a mask of some kind. What kind of secrets does he hold? It's obvious this happy attitude is a little fake out. I wonder why the others don't see it. Or is because I've been trained to see through people always?

Those words seemed to be a staple for all of the students here. It seemed like almost everyone had some sort of social issue in the past. I wasn't sure if I should be worried at that, or not. The elevator finally opened, and in walked Dawn, who already wearing her typical setup of a hoodie and make-up. There was a strange vibe to be had around her, but I just lived with it as we went lower.

"Y-you'll take to me, right?" Taikan asked.

"I predict that the elevator will stop in exactly 13.391 seconds," Dawn said. "After that, we will land on Junichi's floor. Junichi will walk in and will begin to say, 'Yo! What's up Rumiko?' And then Rumiko will respond with an awkward stare and nod at him, and Taikan will pester Junichi to talk to Taikan."

Dawn. The Super Highschool Level Esper. A strange person with an even stranger talent. Everything about her is almost unreadable because she doesn't give off any personality at all. She's just a strange shell with nothing but mysteries hanging over her head.

"U-uh, I'm okay," Taikan said.

After a few moments, the elevator doors open, and Junichi walked in, due Dawn's prediction.

"Yo! What's up Rumiko!"

"T-this Dawn girl," Taikan said, in awe. "She really is an esper, huh?"

"This is quite dreary," Dawn sighed. "These predictions are so easy to come by nowadays, it's not even fun anymore. Of course, it never really was fun… but there is a certain satisfaction in having your suspicions confirmed 70% of the time."

"W-what are we talking about?" Junichi asked.

Junichi Goto. The Super Highschool Level Righteousness. There's not much I can say about him right now, but did he genuinely want to be my friend? I couldn't trust anyone – but if someone did want to be my friend, Junichi was doing a pretty good damn job of acting – if he was. I thought to myself while reading his face whether or not I was good at penetrating through a person's fake skin, but I guess I wasn't. Or maybe I was, and I doubted Junichi too much. Of course… that's what I wanted to happen.

As Junichi looked at the three of us confused, the floor stopped on the floor below us. Mitsuo walked in, yawning and stretching his arms. He scratched his head, and took a seat in the corner of the elevator, wrapping his arms around his legs and resting his head on the top of them.

"_So… sleepy…_" he said. "Yawn… I'm not used to waking up this early."

"So you wake up at noon every morning?" Dawn asked.

"H-how did you know?" Mitsuo yawned. "Yeah… you're… **a pretty bad bitch!**"

Mitsuo Okura. The Super Highschool Level Archer. He's a cute kid when you see him up first, but he has a frightening talent when you put it in context. His archery skills can be used to hunt down anyone in an instant, and his rapid personality changes are more than enough to get him to kill anyone at random. Especially the more… negative one.

Mitsuo's face turned red and he grabbed his arms and started laughing hysterically. After a few moments, while the three of us were backed up away from him, he calmed down, and started to fall asleep again.

"I don't like that personality," Mitsuo yawned. "Oh well."

"His personality seems to switch with intervals of two minutes and three seconds," Dawn said. "Take some or leave some."

"I don't know about him," Taikan said.

The elevator skid to a halt, and in walked Shina Wakabayashi.

"Yo!" Shina said, giving us the piece sign. "Good morning!"

"Hi Shina," Taikan said, smiling a kind smile. "What's up?"

"Eh, you know, the usual," Shina said. "I'm riding down this elevator with three strange personalities and one boring as hell one. Plus I've been told to kill everyone yesterday. So, ya know."

"What do you mean, 'ya know?'" Dawn asked. "This is one huge predicament."

"It's my policy not to give a crap about things until they smack you in the face!" Shina said, happily. "Like they say, ignorance is bliss!"

"Not many people follow the philosophy though," Taikan sighed.

"D-don't be so loud," Mitsuo muttered. "I'm trying to fall asleep…"

"Eh? In the elevator?" Shina asked. "That's outrageous!"

Shina Wakabayashi. The Super Highschool Level Host. She's had a career almost her entire teen life as a radio host. Her erratic performances were the talk of the town when radio was still popular. But then she was able to graduate into the host of an actual talk show. Ridiculous. Of course, there was nothing I didn't expect from her right now. She's exactly how I thought she would be. Hyperactive and having no deep mentality.

"What'cha lookin' at?" Shina asked me. "Porn?"

Definitely not a deep mentality.

While I stared at Shina with eyes that spelled out a sarcastic response, the elevator stopped again, and Hideyoshi walked in.

"Salutations!" Hideyoshi said. "How are we all doing on this exceptional ante meridiem?"

"Ante meridiem..?" Junichi asked. "Is that fancy talk for morning?"

"Indeed!" Hideyoshi said. "That is the true spectrum of the dawn break! Have an exceptional ante meridiem, all of you!"

Hideyoshi Nakamoto. The Super Highschool Level Animator. Though his animations over the internet are obscene and show signs of no intelligence, this person standing in front of me was someone who'd get frequently beat up at a normal school. All he is showing off is an intelligible person.

While Hideyoshi showed off his vocabulary skills, the floor stopped again, and Lucy walked in.

"Good night!" Lucy said.

"Good… night?" I asked. "Don't you mean morning?"

"No!" Lucy said. "It is good night! It is not morning yet!"

Lucy Carson. The Super Highschool Level Foreign Exchange. From what I've heard during my time at the mall, she was here as an attempt to bring the Hope's Peak program to the United States. However, she was the only one who signed up to attend that could fluently speak Japanese and interact with the others that way. Even still…

"How can you mix up good night and good morning?" Junichi asked. "Doesn't make sense."

"Excuse me?" Lucy asked. "I mixed up words?"

"Yes, Lucy!" Mitsuo said. "You see, morning is not night here in Japan!"

"S-sorry," Lucy said. "I always mix those two words up. It's the only reason why."

Lucy began to practice her Japanese in the elevator as we waited for the next person to come aboard. Soon enough, Etsuya walked in, carrying a skateboard, tucked away in his right arm. Etsuya walked in, turned his head, and didn't say a word to any of us.

"Good morning, Etsuya!" Shina said. "May you take a shower today?"

Etsuya didn't respond. He didn't even show a sign of acknowledgement, like shifting his head or smirking.

Etsuya Yamamura. The Super Highschool Level Skateboarder. He is one word, and one word only. It's the only word that can remotely describe him – and that is bully. He is an absolute bully, and there's nothing else that can change that fact. Etsuya does not at all take control of his own emotions. He lets his anger fuel himself, and it explodes right in front of him, getting the others angry.

After spending a few moments of silence in the elevator, the doors slid open, and Nanao walked in.

"Hi!" Nanao said. "I got lost around this floor…"

"How can you get lost?" Junichi asked. "You can see the elevator directly from the catwalks outside of your room."

"Don't make fun of me," Nanao snapped. "I bet if we're in a ship, and it's sinking, and we have to race to the lifeboat, I'll make it first! I won't give up my seat for you, or anything! I'm going _down_ on that lifeboat, and I'm going to safety!"

"F-forgive me!" Junichi begged.

Nanao Kanai. The Super Highschool Level Track Runner. She is an airhead in all aspects, but that's what defines her innocence. It's hard to imagine anyone would come after her, or that she would come after anyone in return.

"I… guess I could," Nanao said. "But you're still going down that ship."

"I-I see," Junichi said.

"Oh. Looks like the elevator is stopping in 1.2918 seconds," Dawn said.

"Is that accurate or are you just making it sound ridiculous on purpose?" Taikan asked.

"Eh? Were you listening?" Mitsuo asked Taikan. "She's the Super Highschool Level Esper! Of course she's not making that time up!"

While the two argued, the doors slid open, and Tatsuya walked in, nervously grabbing at his hat.

"G-g-good morning," Tatsuya said.

"Yo, Tatsuya!" Shina said.

"Y-y-y-yo!" Tatsuya shrieked.

"Eh? Why are you so jumpy?" Shina asked.

"Could it be because of Monokuma's words?" Junichi asked. "I don't really think you should even take them seriously."

"N-no, it's not that," Tatsuya said. "Or, maybe it is. I don't really know."

Tatsuya Okanaya. The Super Highschool Level Illusionist. He is cowardly and easily frightened. A cliché character to be found in a world like this – necessary to as a reminder to not let your hopes up with everything. Even still, his worry over every little thing is rather… I don't how to describe it.

"Tatsuya is worrisome!" Shina exclaimed. "Aha! What a lame guy!"

Shina began to laugh her head off as the elevator skid to a stop once again, this time stopping at Miyoko's floor. Miyoko walked in, combing her hair and patting her suit down to unwrinkle it.

"Good morning, everyone," Miyoko said.

"Hey! It's the knight!" Shina exclaimed.

"Good morning, Miyoko!" Taikan said, arching his arm over his head. He bowed, and Miyoko nodded, returning the greeting. "How are you doing?"

"I am confident," Miyoko said. "That evil mastermind said that we will be forced to murder each other. However, that is dishonorable. We will never kill one another. That's the truth."

Miyoko Furisawa. The Super Highschool Level Knight. She's the last person I'd expect to be a legendary knight, but she has a strange sense of honor in everything. It's as if she is fueled by it, and needs every source of honor to survive. Yet with her powerful instincts, it's hard not to attempt to follow her around.

"'Course, no one was even thinking about that anyways," Taikan said.

"Yawn… never say never," Mitsuo said, stretching out his arms.

"What was that?" Junichi asked.

"I believe he was making a remark about death," Dawn said. "Most unhealthy."

Mitsuo yawned again, and Miyoko shook her head in disapproval. We all stood in silence and the elevator stopped again. Like tradition, someone walked in. She was wearing her trademark ballet outfit, and Teruyo walked up to Junichi, standing awfully close to him.

"I was waiting at the department store," Teruyo whispered. "There's an awful lot of mattresses in there."

"What's with this chick and mattresses?" Nanao asked. "Does she like to take day naps?"

"Y-you honestly can't figure it out?" Taikan asked. I could see Junichi turning away and clawing at the elevator windows, attempting to break free from Teruyo.

Teruyo Kurata. The Super Highschool Level Contortionist. If there's one word to describe her, the word slut definitely comes to mind. She threw herself on almost every guy here, and they keep running away. But she chases after them, of course. I wondered if there was anything else going on in her brain besides getting someone to get "up close and personal."

"I would be delighted to be your acquaintance at the department store!" Hideyoshi exclaimed. "Shall we look at king sized mattresses?"

"Buzz off, nerd," Teruyo said.

"R-Rejection isn't very bittersweet," Hideyoshi said. "It's just black coffee poured in your trousers to make you run around screaming bloody murder."

"The hell are you talking about?" Etsuya sighed.

The elevator stopped once again, and Are walked in, zipping up her robe. Tatsuya fell down, turning around rapidly and wiping his nose with his sleeve.

"Good morning, Are-chan!" Shina said.

"Yes," Are said. "Good morning."

Are Seo. The Super Highschool Level Peacemaker. Going around and making peace with foreign countries to divert them from war was definitely a trait that not everyone could adopt. Hopefully she would be able to keep peace within us. The only thing that bothered me was her lack of a personality. She doesn't talk at all, only keeping to herself. I shouldn't talk though, because that's basically what I just do.

It seemed like almost everyone was gathered on the elevator. Two people were still missing though. Giichi and Yujiro.

Giichi Uyeda was a mysterious character. He did nothing except listen to his music in ridiculously loud volumes, and didn't pay attention to any of us at hand. Yujiro Watari on the other hand was amazingly optimistic. He always tries to keep up on the positive side of things.

"I don't get people," I sighed to myself.

The elevator came to a stop, and Giichi walked in. His headphones were placed firmly on his ears, and the music was as loud as always.

"Morning!" Taikan said.

Giichi didn't respond, only turning around, and staring at the elevator doors. He was definitely quiet and repressed.

"Those headphones have a limited warranty," Dawn said. "The warranty will expire in 17 days, and then Giichi will be forced to buy a new pair after we violently break his old pair."

"We're gonna break them?" Nanao asked. "I'm in for that!"

"Tch. We don't need him to interfere with anything anyways," Etsuya said. "He'll only infect the air with his idiocy."

"Everyone is able to help in their own way," Miyoko said. "You do not need to have such a negative attitude about things."

"Eh? Who's negative?" Etsuya asked. "I'm just being realistic. Giichi Uyeda is a useless music whore."

"T-there's nothing wrong with that," Junichi said. "He'll help when he has to."

"Tch. Whatever, bully freak," Etsuya snapped.

"B-bully freak?" Junichi angrily murmured.

"Everyone, enough!" Are said. "Let's keep our emotions in check!"

"Hey, you don't have any underwear under that dress, _do_ you?" Etsuya smirked. "Mind if I take a look?"

"H-how do you know that?!" Are asked, shocked.

"You don't need two good eyes to see how much of a slut you are!" Etsuya laughed. "I bet you tip people off to get the votes you need to call of a war, huh?"

"W-why you…" Are muttered.

"G-guys, we need to calm down," Taikan said. "We're not going too –"

"You shut up, pilot boy," Etsuya said.

"Woah! This skateboarder is a **fucking freak!**" Mitsuo laughed, having switched to his darker personality.

"Am I? You're the one who fucking changes personalities every fucking second."

"T-that foul language isn't appreciated," Hideyoshi stammered.

"Why the hell should I listen to a nerd?" Etsuya smirked.

This… was getting annoying.

"Etsuya, you need to shut up," I said. "No one wants to listen to you."

"No one wants to save your life when you're on the cold cutting floor, grabbing at your heart and hoping for a savior," said Etsuya, incredibly smug. "Let's just kill you first! At least someone like me can get out of here then!"

"D-don't say things like that!" growled Junichi.

"This isn't helping anything!" Lucy fought. "Why can't we just –"

"Now I _know_ any of us wouldn't want to listen to a talentless buzzard like you," Etsuya said. "Didn't you get here because you know two languages? Is that it?"

"You got here because all you do is do flips and tricks on a small board," I sighed. "Can't we end this fight now?"

"Of course we can't," Etsuya said. "Not after you said something like that, anyways."

"Did something happen?" Giichi asked, taking his headphones out.

"Look, the elephant in the room!" Etsuya laughed.

I looked at everyone. We were all suddenly bickering with each other. What was the point of all of this? Wasn't Monokuma's goal this? To get us all to fight each other, and then… to commit murder? Of course, murder is speaking extremely far, but this is just putting on a show for the sick bastard who put us here. We have to stop fighting. Otherwise…

_Music halts_

"Enough!"

"Eh?" Etsuya said.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

"Why are you all acting like this?" Yujiro asked, walking into the elevator. "We can't keep fighting all the time. We especially can't place any stress on Rumiko, or Taikan."

"W-why me?" Taikan asked.

"You were shot yesterday, weren't you?"

"I-I'm feeling better, anyways," Taikan said quietly, crossing his arms.

"This guy…" Etsuya said. "I guess… we should stop."

"That conflict got resolved rather disappointingly," Are sighed.

"But at least it stopped," Shina sighed. "You all are babies."

Yujiro nodded a small nod, and smiled at everyone.

"That's the spirit," he said, still smiling. "Let's work together, everyone!"

…Yujiro Watari. He's an optimist, at his core, I guess.

We all exited the elevator, and headed our separate ways. It was time to start the day… but to be honest; I didn't know exactly how to spend my time.

Should… I ask some people to hang out?

As if… they'd ever hang out with me though.

* * *

FREE-TIME

_(AN: Free-Time will __**always**__ be written in a script format, similar to how I will be formatting trials. Just a small heads up. A guide for the future, brackets represents Rumiko's thoughts.)_

[I see Dawn standing around in the food court. I wonder what she's doing. I guess I should walk up to her…]

DAWN: I heard you coming from miles away. You do not need to think twice about sneaking up on me, mortal.

[…Should I ask Dawn to hang out?]

**YES - **

NO

DAWN: …Very well. I shall entertain you.

DAWN: Though, I could foresee that question from miles away.

DAWN: Now, throw things at me!

RUMIKO: …Huh?

DAWN: I will show you my esper powers! Throw things at me so I may dodge them!

RUMIKO: …

[I spent the next few moments tossing things at Dawn.]

DAWN: …You have a weak toss, Rumiko Funabashi.

RUMIKO: I wasn't exactly built to be athletic.

DAWN: Indeed… with your heart problems, you probably shouldn't be throwing things anyways. My condolences.

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: …

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: Will you not initiate a conversation?

RUMIKO: E-Er, sorry. I'm not the best at socializing, seeing as I've been basically bullied my entire life with this heart problem and the media breathing down my neck.

DAWN: That is indeed a problem. However, now is the perfect time to work on things like this. So initiate a conversation with me. Throw me off, if you will.

RUMIKO: Throw you off?

DAWN: I wish to get a prediction wrong. If I don't, my hit miss ratio will be raised to 71%. I must keep it at 70% at all costs.

[Keep things at 70%..? Why..?]

RUMIKO: Um, okay.

RUMIKO: …Uh… when did you –

DAWN: When did I first know I was an esper?

[How the hell..? My thoughts aren't safe around her at all!]

DAWN: Is it a gift from God? Or perhaps my brain is much more advanced than others?

RUMIKO: Your brain is… advanced?

DAWN: If my skills are not a gift from God, then what are they? They are not the supernatural, the supernatural is pure fiction.

RUMIKO: O-okay. So…

DAWN: So, if it is not a gift from God, what exactly is the source of my power?

[The source of her power? Is it…]

1 – It _is_ supernatural, you bitch.

2 – **Patterns of thought. -**

3 – A gift from Satan.

RUMIKO: You can trace the thoughts of people?

DAWN: Yes. Humans are so predictable in many ways. Which is why I am not particularly fond of them.

RUMIKO: Predictable?

DAWN: When there is a war, then the "predictable" response would be to send troops. There is no talk of making peace until one side is eliminated.

RUMIKO: Well, yes, but… if every human weren't predictable, then the world would be a mess.

DAWN: …Explain.

RUMIKO: Well…

RUMIKO: Everyone following the norm keeps order. I don't expect to walk up to someone every day, and find out that they're working as a clown for a living.

DAWN: …So you are a fan of order, are you?

RUMIKO: I've basically been raised that way…

DAWN: …That is a strange thing to say.

RUMIKO: Huh?

DAWN: Never mind… but it does seem like you are the others.

RUMIKO: The others..?

DAWN: The other mortals in this world. The uninteresting one who leeches off the system and is not open to change at all.

DAWN: Those mortals tire me, just a little.

DAWN: So I bid you farewell.

[Dawn walked away, holding her hands together and leaving a mysterious aura around. It… definitely seems like she has darker thoughts than most. But, I feel like I've gotten a little more close to her, I think. I can't really tell…]

(AN: _Since everyone basically agreed on Dawn, that was an easy choice. But since there were three other characters to pick from, I used a program online called a Classroom Fruit Picker. It randomly chose a character to Free-Time, and that character is…Yujiro. But Lucy and Miyoko will get a chance too during this chapter. I just chose the order through the fruit picker. Enjoy, anyways!)_

* * *

[Yujiro is placing his hands on the walls of the game store. What is he doing..?]

YUJIRO: Oh, Rumiko! I was just seeing if there was a way to break these walls down.

RUMIKO: …I doubt you could break the walls down with your hands.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: So what's on your mind?

[…Should I ask Yujiro to hang out?]

**YES -**

NO

YUJIRO: Sure! I'd love to hang out with you!

[The two of us hung out at the food court.]

RUMIKO: So… Yujiro…

YUJIRO: Something on your mind?

RUMIKO: …Why are you so… optimistic?

YUJIRO: I'm optimistic..? I don't think I am.

RUMIKO: But even still. For someone who's been stranded at a survivalist camp… most people would think you'd have a darker personality.

YUJIRO: Hmm, I guess that's true.

YUJIRO: You seem to have a negative personality though. More than me.

RUMIKO: I-I guess…

YUJIRO: Hee, don't be embarrassed.

YUJIRO: Whatever personality anyone possesses, it doesn't really matter.

YUJIRO: If someone was shy… hard to talk too… or even overtly positive…

YUJIRO: It's not like I _wouldn't_ want to hang out with them.

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: …Like you!

RUMIKO: Huh?

YUJIRO: Let's see… I'd say that you fall under the, "hard to talk to," personality.

RUMIKO: I-is that so?

YUJIRO: Yup. But there are lots of people like that, so you shouldn't feel _bad_ about it.

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: Still though, it would be nice, if you talked a little more.

RUMIKO: Huh?

YUJIRO: When someone doesn't talk at all, there is always one thing that people assume.

YUJIRO: They have some sort of social problem. They don't like hanging around other people.

YUJIRO: That means I can't get a good grasp on your personality.

RUMIKO: …I'm stoic. That's it. That's my personality.

YUJIRO: Is that so?

YUJIRO: I don't ever believe that being stoic is a real personality trait.

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: If someone is stoic, it just means they're bottling up their emotions inside.

YUJIRO: So, Rumiko, what are you really like?

RUMIKO: …

[What am I really like? What kind of question is that?]

YUJIRO: I want to get to know you. Are you really just stoic? Or is there something you want to say? Something interesting?

[Of course not… the smart thing to do here is just not respond at all.]

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Oh well.

YUJIRO: I guess it'll take a while before I can get a handle on you.

YUJIRO: I'll see you around, then.

[Yujiro walked out of the food court, leaving me to ponder his words. What the hell did he mean? What's the real me? I'm the real me, of course. Sheesh… … Still, I guess he is a nice person. I think I've gotten a little closer…]

* * *

_**-End Freetime—**_

_Music Halts_

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 10:01 PM | Chapter One | Day Two (nighttime)**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, everyone!"_ echoed Monokuma's voice. _"While it is nighttime, I have something to say to you all! Please gather up in front of the movie theater, stat!"_

The movie theater..? Monokuma wants us to meet up there?

That night, I had returned to my room for an attempt at sleep, but…

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Despair Syndrome_

"Why would he want us there?" I asked to myself.

Getting out of my bed, and putting on my clothes, I walked outside my room, and pressed the button to the elevator. I was on the top floor, but it seemed like other people were quicker than me. Junichi and Nanao were already in the elevator by the time I walked in.

"Yo!" Nanao exclaimed. "How are ya doing?"

Not responding, I prompted the elevator doors closed, and I turned away.

"U-uh, is something wrong?" Junichi asked me.

"No," I said.

"…I see," Junichi said.

We stood in silence.

There was only silence, and distrust in that elevator. We were heading down, and up, and down and up, stopping at every floor for the others to walk in. We headed together to the movie theater, not saying a word to one another, not knowing what to expect.

What was going to happen?

* * *

_**Location: Movie Theater Entrance | Time: 10:12 PM | Chapter One | Day Two (nighttime)**_

Standing outside the movie theater, no one talked, either. No one wasn't even mentioning the fact of how late Monokuma was. We just waited… and waited… and waited… until he finally showed up.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Yo, yo, yo!" Monokuma exclaimed, popping in from the ceiling. "How are we all doing on this fine night?"

Tatsuya screamed and was knocked back, his hat falling over the balcony and onto the other floor below us. "M-my hat!" he screamed, reaching for it as it fell.

"You can just get it later, can't you?" Monokuma asked. "Besides, I think it's best if we romp on over to the movie theater now, right?"

"…What do you want?" I asked.

"That's rude…" Monokuma said with a depressed tone in his voice. "I just wanted to show you all an excellent play that I wrote… it's even better than Shakespeare! More tragic than Romeo & Juliet! O', Rumiko! Where art thou? Oh my, you're dead in your bed! I should kill myself now! Upupupu, it's so much better than THAT!"

"That about sums Romeo & Juliet up!" Shina said cheerfully.

"It was a despairing ending," Monokuma said, rubbing his paws over his eyes in a circle motion. "But let's go into the movie theater! It's time for the excellent play! I'm sure acting in such a Tony nominated play like mine will bring your spirits up!"

"Shouldn't we go to the concert hall, then?" Yujiro asked.

"…Hmm?" Monokuma asked. "The movie theater should be sufficient enough. Besides, I've already brought you here. I won't waste my precious calories in moving locations for the lot of you. And you know the word theater? It just has a nice ring to it that concert hall doesn't bring. You know?"

"B-b-b-but, who's in the play..?"

"Upupu, you guys are, of course!" Monokuma giggled.

"No," I said. "I don't want to do it.

"Aww… Rumiko-senpai doesn't want to be in my play?" Monokuma asked. "I'm disappointed… No, Monokuma, get your chin up! Don't let this foul girl bring you down! I am Monokuma! That's right!"

"I'm still not doing it."

"…Because you don't want to?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head. "But Rumiko, there are lots of thinks in this world that we do not want. So can't you suck it up, just this once?"

"No."

"…Fine," Monokuma sighed. "You're stubborn. But it's refreshing! I haven't had a stubborn highschooler in quite a while, so you're like a blast of fresh air!"

"In a while?" Taikan asked, picking up his words. "What does that mean?"

"D-damn it," Monokuma stammered. "It's not even Chapter 2, and already, I'm giving out my goodie bags of spoilers! Shouldn't you go on Youtube to find those things out?"

"Whatever, so what do I do?" I asked. "I'm not participating in this play."

"W-wait, I don't want to neither!" Tatsuya stammered. "I-I –"

"Too bad!" Monokuma said. "Rumiko gets firsties!"

"W-what are you, five?!" Tatsuya shrieked. "I don't want to be in this play!"

"...Is that so?" Monokuma asked. "Upupupu, alright then…"

_Music halts_

"I certainly won't _force_ you to act in my play," Monokuma said. "But, if you don't…"

_Soundtrack: Junk Food for a Dashing Youth_

Monokuma took out a gun and placed it on Tatsuya's head. Tapping the gun barrel on Tatsuya's forehead, Monokuma brought his paw to his mouth.

"O-oi!" I said. "You can't –"

"Upupupu!" Monokuma laughed, cutting me off. "Tatsuya, I won't force you to be in my play! But if you don't want to be, then all I have to do is kill you! In fact, this will be like a punishment for defying my orders!"

"W-w-wait!" Tatsuya stammered, his voice choked back and nervous. "F-fine, I'll do it! I'll be in your play, okay? S-so calm down, take that gun off my head!"

"And don't try to run away," Monokuma said. "I've got eyes on the back of my head! 40/20 vision!"

"T-that's terrible vision!" Tatsuya choked.

"What was that?" Monokuma asked, pushing the gun into his head.

"N-n-nothing!" Tatsuya cried. "I'll do it! I'll do it!"

"Very well," Monokuma said.

_Music halts_

"Woo! It's refreshing being all gangsta once in a while!" Monokuma said, rubbing his belly as if he just had a meal. "I don't think I've ever been that excited before! I should go street more often!"

"L-let's just end this," Miyoko said. She entered the movie theater, clearly nervous like the rest of us.

"Rumiko darling, you can just stay in the movie theater," Monokuma said to me. "It's theater number eight, alright?"

I nodded, and walked in, getting away from Monokuma. I would just walk forward, and Monokuma would be gone. Monokuma would vanish, and I would be safe inside the movie theater, away from everyone. Turning around, I found that Monokuma had suddenly vanished.

* * *

_**Location: Movie Theater Screen #8 | Time: 10:20 PM | Chapter One | Day Two (nighttime)**_

I reluctantly entered the movie theater, cautious of my surroundings. I took a seat in the back row, farthest away from the screen, and I prepared myself for the absolute worst. We weren't going to have a good time with this.

_Soundtrack: Mrs. Monomi's Practice Lesson_

"_Welcome, Rumiko Funabashi to the amazing play written by Monokuma! Hope y'all enjoy it!"_

Is that… Meowykins?

"_Sorry if I'm confusing you! It seems Monokuma will blow me up again if I don't comply, so I'm forced to narrate this whole thing! A-anyways, introducing, your main star!_"

"Thank you! Thank you!" Monokuma said, walking in front of the movie theater screen, waving his hand. "My actors have worked very hard to put on this performance for you guys! However, since they are incompetent bastards, they will be able to read a script on the screen! Also, it has been made absolutely clear, that if they don't say their lines, they will be blown to smithereens on the spot, which actually would be sort of funny, right?"

"_I think y'all should start the play…"_

"Oh, alright," Monokuma said. "First off… let me introduce our main cast! Meowykins, please give my esteemed audience their programs! Please follow along with the cast list!"

Meowykins suddenly appeared in front of me, handing me a program, entitled "Monokuma's Super Highschool Level Play." I opened it up to the cast list like I was told, and I followed along with Monokuma's introductions.

"First up, there's my little sister, Monomi, as the cowardly idiot bunny!" By Monomi, he meant Usami?

"I am not cowardly!" Usami complained. "I am just a wabbit! And I stuck up to you last time! I'm not afwaid of you anymore!"

Monokuma walked towards Usami who was wearing a sunflower over her head, and punched her in the cheek. Monomi wailed in pain as Monokuma beat her up.

"Oh my! I forgot what the sensation of being beat up feels like!"

As Usami was being beaten up by Monokuma, many words were ringing through my head, the most important one, being how Usami and Meowykins were still… alive.

"A…alwight," Usami said, giving up. "I'll just walk off the stage then…"

"Anyways, the hell with cast introductions! Let's just get on with the play!"

"W-what?" I called out. "You can't just do that!"

"Oh yes I can!" Monokuma said back to me. "I am all knowing, and what are you? You're the girl with a heart problem who didn't want to be in my play!"

Monokuma blew a whistle, and immediately, I saw my classmates line up next to each other in ridiculous costumes.

_(AN: The "motive" that Monokuma is about to present has some gore. You have been warned._)

"Once upon a time, there was a friendly bear!"

Taikan suddenly walked forward, nervous, and stared directly at me. His face was strained, and blue with fear.

"This bear loved his mother very much! He also loved his father very much! But unfortunately… one day…"

All of a sudden, Meowykins came in, rolling out a metal table with two adults on top of it.

"The bear's parents came home from a long business trip!"

Those were… Taikan's parents? Taikan's parents were on the table? Their mouths were bound, and they were chained to the table under them. My eyes widened, and my mouth was gaping at the sight. I brought my hand to my mouth in fear, as Taikan stared at his parents, helpless to do anything. While looking at the actors again, I saw Taikan mouth the word "mother."

"This bear suddenly turned evil! An evil bear that would convert into cannibalism, suddenly leaped onto his parents!"

All of a sudden, the ceiling above me opened. The ceiling above that opened, showing the bright blue sky. A large black circle enveloped around Taikan's parents, and a half circle came crashing down from the sky. There was a hole in the middle, and it encased his parents inside. The circle closed, and Taikan began to pound on the circle, calling for his parents, and attempting to pry them free.

"Eat the parents, young bear!"

Monokuma pressed a switch, and all of a sudden, the half circle opened up, and sharp spikes erected from the inside. I saw Taikan's parents look in fear, as the circle closed directly onto them. Blood was splattered everywhere as Taikan fell to the floor in shock, and Meowykins pushed the table away.

Monokuma had killed Taikan's parents right in front of him. The ceiling closed, and Taikan's screams pierced the room.

"Good job, bear! The day after that, there was a little kitty cat!"

After that, Nanao, her face in an extreme twist, looked at Monokuma in terror. Monokuma began to get agitated as Nanao refused to step forward.

"The kitty cat said, oh boy! I should walk forward for Monokuma so I'm not blasted into smithereens, and even if I don't step forward, my parents will die anyways!"

Nanao tilted her head back into focus, and nervously stepped forward. Meowykins walked in again, pushing a table with her parents.

"This kitty cat was feeling very naughty today!" Monokuma exclaimed. "It was really a sight to see for yourself! The cat was so riled up and angry at everything, that the kitty cat decided to claw her parents to death!"

All of a sudden, the ceiling opened again, revealing the sky. Like last time, an object fell from the sky, but this time, it was a large shop object that represented a claw. It was big enough to stab both of them, and the blood spilled onto the floor as Nanao screamed her lungs out.

"Likewise, a monkey by the name of Etsuya walked up! He was bananas, for bananas! But his parents took away all his bananas!"

Just like that, the ceiling opened once again, having closed before, and a banana fell from the sky, piercing the eyes of Etsuya's parents. The blood seeped out as they were pushed away, and Etsuya kneeled down on the ground, making no movements at all.

One by one, Monokuma called out my classmates from down there. They each watched as their parents were brutally killed right in front of them.

Yujiro walked forward after Monokuma called his character, a safari hunter looking for hunting. His parents were brought in by Meowykins, and the ceiling opened again. Yujiro whispered something to his parents, and they whispered something back, as Yujiro was able to unbound their mouths. Yujiro nodded, and he said goodbye to his parents, as something far away shot a rapid fire of bullets into his parents.

Junichi, the last cast member, walked forward, tears streaming down his face. Meowykins brought his parents in, and Junichi, being a scientist, watched as his parents were splashed with an acid that corroded the skin from his parents off. Junichi kneeled to the ground, and screamed. He screamed harder than anyone else could. I grabbed my heart, shedding tears of my own, and rubbed it, hoping for the pain that penetrated it to go away.

"That's not all!" Monokuma said. "These things got so upset for killing the people most important to them, so later, as a result… something cool happened! They went to me, Monokuma! Or under my doctorate alias, Dr. Murder!"

"You're still using that nicknwame?!" Usami shrieked from the corner.

As the others cried in the pool of their parents blood, Monokuma continued to speak.

"Oh, Dr. Monokuma?" Monokuma said to himself. "They would ask me, Oh, Dr. Monokuma? Would you spare us a moment of your precious time? And I would say, of course! I'm a bear! What would you like? And they would say, oh, Dr. Monokuma, I had just killed my parents! Then I would go, oh my! That is a predicament, isn't it? They would say later, how can I forget this? And I told them the very generous solution that I had!"

"**You can have your memories wiped away!**" Monokuma laughed.

O-our memories?!

"Yes! That's what I told them! Do you want to forget this tragic event? Do you want ever so bad to have your memories wiped of this terrible event? Well, if so… I told them they could! So they did! But before that, I told them, wouldn't you love to have your parents back too? And I told them I could! So they very happily wanted that! But I had terms, you see! I had terms that if I returned their parents back, they had to do one certain thing for me!"

"And what was that?" Meowykins and Usami asked in harmony, singing the words.

"I'll tell you wuzzat!" Monokuma exclaimed. "If they ever so happened to participate in a Shopping Spree of Mutual Killings, I would do everything I promised for them! But, only on one condition!"

"**You need to graduate! Graduate from this terrible place! Kill, or be killed, either way is fine by me! One of you will have your wish granted, and the others will be alleviated from their pain with the best treatment of them all! DEATH!**" Monokuma laughed sadistically, as the screams and cries of the others continued to pierce my ears.

Our memories were wiped?

Our parents killed?

And to get them back… we'd have to kill?

W-what was happening?

This wasn't… happening… to me.

That's what I wanted to believe.

As Monokuma continued to laugh, and the others continued to scream, I toppled over, enveloping myself in pure pitch black darkness.

_Music halts_

"Upupupu… this is despair, isn't it?"

"I love it… I love everything about it..."

"Upupupupupupu… Nyahahahaha!"

_**Location: Hospital | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention you guys! It is now morning! Rise and shiiinneee! Let's make today the best day it can be!"_

I woke up to that distasteful alarm. I was strapped with IVs, connecting to a heart monitor. The beeping was steady, and my heart felt better. I… survived another heart attack. Opening my eyes, I saw Yujiro waiting in front of my bed.

"Y-Yujiro?" I called out. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Ah! You're awake!" he said cheerfully. "How are you?"

Those words were like a trigger to me. How was I? How could he ask that question with a straight face? Just yesterday, I saw people die right in front of me. Everyone was lying in a pool of blood.

Everyone except Yujiro.

I was trying to remember what I saw yesterday. I wanted to make sure if it was real. Yujiro was standing away from the pool of blood, closing his eyes, and crossing his arms.

What… was this guy's deal?

I refused to take Yujiro's hand in getting off the bed. After taking out the IVs, I put on my clothes instead of my hospital gown. Needless to say, Yujiro walked away. I struggled out of the bed, and I placed my hands on the walls, walking outside. I wanted to see how the others were doing. I wanted so bad for them to be okay. I knew that… they must have been scarred completely.

"They're at the food court," Yujiro called from behind. I turned around, and he looked solemn and sad, but he was still smiling. He waved goodbye, and I nodded, walking out of the door, and closing it shut behind me.

* * *

_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 7:34 AM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

I walked into the food court, and took a seat next to Junichi. Everyone wasn't talking at all. They're faces were painted blue, and they didn't make one noise. Taikan took a seat in front of me, just walking in, and he looked away from me, having the same reaction as everyone else.

"E-everyone," I started. "Are you all okay?"

"Don't fucking ask that," Etsuya snapped. "You don't know what this feels like."

"I-I know," I said. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?" Junichi asked, distraught. "She was just making sure if we were alright. There's nothing around with that, Etsuya."

"Don't fucking tell me what's not alright," Etsuya said. "She didn't have her fucking parents, killed in front of her fucking face."

"But that doesn't make it wrong or anything," Lucy said. "W-we're all in shock from what we saw. And what we heard."

"Monokuma mentioned something about wiping our memories," Are said. "I wonder if he was just joking about that."

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Hi everyone!" Monokuma said. "Oh? What's this? Everyone looks like their parents were just killed right in front of them."

"Y-you said that on purpose," Nanao said.

"Don't make me seem like a cruel bear," Monokuma said. "I'm actually fair, you know. A bear never tramples on the honor of fairness. That sounds like something Miyoko would appreciate!"

"Don't talk to me," Miyoko said. "I do not wish to see you. Please respect that."

"Are you asking a sexy beast like me not to talk to you?" Monokuma asked. "Aww… okay… I guess I'll live Miyoko-chan alone for now…"

"You're fucking crazy," I said. "Get out."

"Ahh! Rumiko is being scary!" Monokuma shivered. "B-but, I just came here to answer a question asked by one of your esteemed classmates!"

"Me?" Are asked. "You want to confirm whether or not you were serious about wiping our memories?"

"T-t-that's stupid," Tatsuya said with a stutter. "I-I mean, there's no way he took our memories. That's not even possible at all."

"Oh?" Monokuma said, confused, and tilting his head. "You think I'm lying? But, a bear never goes back on its word! Just like how a bird never goes back to save their chickadees from falling off the nest and dying."

"T-they almost always do that," Taikan said.

"Not the ones I see," Monokuma said. "But I do always eat the birds before they can safely get back to their kids. It's just the kind of soul I am."

"Anyways, you're saying you aren't lying?" I asked.

"Of course not," Monokuma said. "Guess what..?"

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

"It's true! Your memories were wiped from you!" Monokuma laughed.

"T-that's impossible," I said.

"I sure as hell remembered my mom when you killed her in front of me!" Junichi yelled. "What are you saying? How did we lose our memories when I don't forget a single thing?!"

"Don't ask me!" Monokuma said. "Ask yourselves! Or, in a way, that's asking me."

"Uh, what do you mean?" Shina asked.

"He wants us… to kill, is that right?" Dawn asked.

"They don't call you an esper for nothing, Dawn!" Monokuma chuckled. "Yes… but that doesn't even really matter anymore. Because I can bring your parents back! I can take those bad memories away! The memories here at the Shopping Spree of Mutual Killings! Isn't that better?"

"Y-you're lying," Tatsuya stammered. "O-our parents! They died right in front of us!"

"There's no way they're coming back to life," Giichi said, having lowered his volume. "You're lying, aren't you?"

"What would be the point of me lying?" Monokuma asked. "I'm getting you to kill each other, for fucks sake."

"But, that's where you are wrong," Dawn said. "I'm seeing into the future…"

"Ah! You are using your clairvoyance, is that right?" Hideyoshi asked.

"No one is going to be murdered by anyone," Dawn said. "No one is going to be killed by anyone."

"…I see," Monokuma said. "That's a shame though. I really hope your 30% of inaccuracy kicks in right now. But, I guess for now, all I can do is wait, huh?"

Monokuma left in a hurry, and the others got up from their seats.

"Y-you're serious, right?" Teruyo asked. "You weren't just saying that?"

"We ain't going to kill each other?!" Shina asked in excitement. "Yahoo! That's exciting!"

"I don't foresee anything," Dawn said. "So let's just hope for now."

Dawn was an esper. Her predictions were right most of the time, so, maybe she was right. This motive was incredibly convincing. I could tell by the faces of the others. But no one is going to die. Dawn said so herself… no one is going to –

"What do you mean you don't foresee?" Etsuya asked. "Don't tell me! You aren't counting me, are you? Are you saying I won't kill anyone at all?"

"This is just a prediction," Dawn said. "Nothing is finalized."

"Hell yeah, it's not," Etsuya sighed. "I hope that you all sleep with one eye open tonight."

"H-how can you say that?" Junichi asked. "How?! Just how?!"

"How can I what?" Etsuya asked. "Wow, you're a fucking baby, aren't you?"

"W-what?!"

"Your parents were killed in front of you, that's understandable. But I bet they were real ugly, huh? No. They were fine. You were the ugly one, right? That's why you were bullied all your life! That's why I'm, quote on quote, bullying you now, huh?"

"S-shut up," Junichi stammered.

"I'm glad your parents died!" Etsuya said, laughing and walking away. "It's a shame you didn't join them!"

Etsuya's ominous words pierced through all of us. I looked at Junichi – his face turning paler and paler.

"I-I'm going to my room," Junichi said. "I'm just… going to rest, a little."

"G-good idea," I said.

All of us watched as Junichi headed to the dormitories. He hugged himself tightly. A microscope was being held over his chest. A battle of conflicting emotions was clear in sight. He was upset, more than anyone else. It was hard to watch.

"I hate Etsuya," I sighed.

"He really is a bother," Dawn added.

"Guess we're going to have to keep a sharp eye on him, huh?" Shina sighed. "I'm not going to keep watch over him though. He could kill me, you know?"

"I doubt he'll do that," Miyoko said. "I can sense his soul. It is a very weak one."

"How can you be sure about that?" Are asked.

"I just have a feeling, as all," Miyoko said. "I hope that he doesn't get any ideas, though."

"Such ideas should be demolished immediately!" Hideyoshi snapped. "Let's get them out of our minds guys!" Hideyoshi sat down on the ground, and crossed his legs, making loud humming noises.

"Is he meditating?" Nanao asked. "I guess I should do it too then!" Nanao followed after Hideyoshi, crossing her legs and making loud humming noises.

Unsure of what to do at that point, I looked around. I wasn't affected by this personally, so I could do my best to cheer the others up. Even though I can't socialize for my life… I could at least try.

* * *

FREE-TIME

_Soundtrack: Beautiful Ruin_

[I can see Miyoko, easily troubled over there in front of the department store. I wonder if she wants to talk about something.]

MIYOKO: I truly didn't expect such a sight under Monokuma's hands.

MIYOKO: Just what kind of being is that thing? How worried should we be?

[Should I ask Miyoko to hang out?]

**YES -**

NO

MIYOKO: Very well. I could use the company.

[I browsed the department store with Miyoko.]

MIYOKO: …

RUMIKO: …

MIYOKO: …

RUMIKO: …Uh, hey, Miyoko.

MIYOKO: Is something on your mind?

RUMIKO: I-I just wanted to know, something about your past, is all.

MIYOKO: What do you mean my past? There are many things about my past I could tell you. None that are particularly interesting, though.

RUMIKO: W-well, first, like, where you served as a knight. I don't really know much places with traditional Arthur styled knights like you are.

MIYOKO: …Very well. A wise question.

MIYOKO: My country is a very small one. But it is very noble as well.

RUMIKO: Where did you serve?

MIYOKO: It is a small country, but it is in my no means weak. The country of Novoselic.

RUMIKO: Novoselic? I've never heard of it.

MIYOKO: No, you probably wouldn't have. Yet, if needed too… I'd be able to cut down anything for my country's glory.

MIYOKO: Would you like to know anything else?

RUMIKO: …Well, I was just wondering… why do you have such a huge sense of honor?

MIYOKO: Is that a negative thing?

RUMIKO: N-no, it's just, I was just wondering.

MIYOKO: …I do not feel comfortable talking about that.

[Huh? Why not?]

MIYOKO: I apologize if you wanted to know. But revealing that information would create an uncomfortable atmosphere between you and me.

MIYOKO: I find you very kind spirited, Rumiko. It would be a fear if that spirit was severed as a result of me.

RUMIKO: O-okay…

[I wonder what's going on with Miyoko..? It seems like we've gotten closer, yet there's many questions I'd still like to ask her. I'd better not, though. That last question seemed to have ticked her off just a little bit.]

* * *

[Lucy is looking at antiques in the Antique Store. I wonder if she's bothered at all from what Monokuma told us the other day.]

LUCY: This… is so interesting.

LUCY: I could never find stores like this where I lived in America.

[Should I ask Lucy to hang out?]

**YES -**

NO

LUCY: Okay! Let's do this!

LUCY: Um, want to practice Japanese? I'm pretty fluent, but I could still use some work…

[I spent some time practicing with Lucy.]

LUCY: …How does it feel, Rumiko?

RUMIKO: Huh? How does what feel?

LUCY: I know Etsuya doesn't really approve of me. That's because…

[Right. Besides the fact that he's an asshole, that's because…]

1 – Lucy is ugly.

2 – **Lucy doesn't have a "good" talent. -**

3 – Lucy is an irritating person.

RUMIKO: Is that what this question is about? That you have no talent?

LUCY: I know I shouldn't be embarrassed. I mean, I could probably pass off as a Super Highschool Level Bi-Lingual.

LUCY: But it's cool to have a title attached to your name.

LUCY: Your title sounds cool, being a Super Highschool Level Survivor.

LUCY: I'm just a foreign exchange student, though.

RUMIKO: …

[Crap. I'm not good at this.]

LUCY: …

RUMIKO: W-well, you can think of it this way.

LUCY: Huh?

RUMIKO: If you bring the Hope's Peak System to America, then you'll be considered… something like hope, right?

LUCY: H-hope?

RUMIKO: You brought an entire academy built on hope to one of the world's biggest superpowers. I think… that's a pretty good accomplishment, whether or not you have a talent.

LUCY: …Yeah.

LUCY: Yeah, you're right!

LUCY: Thanks, Rumiko. You've given me motivation!

LUCY: Now I know what to do! Practice more Japanese to bring this system to America!

RUMIKO: Though, we aren't actually in Hope's Peak yet.

LUCY: …

[Damn it, I ruined it.]

[Even so, I'm glad I gave Lucy inspiration. It feels… good to help people. I feel like the two of us bonded, in a good way.]

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 8:48 PM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

I went to my room that night, trying to get some early sleep.

Even in my room, you could hear the crickets as they made their chirps during the night. Lots of people hate the sounds that crickets make… though, I think it's sort of refreshing when you're trying to go to sleep.

_Soundtrack: Mrs. Monomi's Practice Lesson_

"Hello, Rumiko-san!" Monomi exclaimed. "How are you doing?"

"How did you get in my room?" I asked. "Monomi?

"W-well, let's not talk about that," Monomi said nervously. "But I'd appreciate it if you called me by my real name, Usami…"

Not responding, Usami continued.

"A-anyways, the other students and I are having a meeting. You should come… it's too…" Monomi leaned in and began to whisper in such a soft voice, even I could barely hear it that up close. "Bring down Monokuma."

_Music halts_

Usami left the room, leaving me behind. I was wondering to myself, right after that. Should I go? Was this a battle worth fighting?

I took a look at the clock. I was trying to sleep… but even still, there was an hour until nighttime. Maybe… I could just briefly drop in. Just for a little bit.

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Floor | Time: 8:56 PM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

Walking out of my room, I saw Yujiro waiting near the elevator.

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

"Rumiko," Yujiro said. "I'm worried."

"W-worried?" I asked. "What about?"

"Junichi wouldn't come out of his room when we asked about the meeting."

"He's just upset," I said. "He'll come out."

"Even still, we should check up on him, right? I don't think it's healthy for him to stay in his room all day."

"It's understandable though," I said. "But alright. I'll check in with him with you."

* * *

_**Location: Junichi's Floor | Time: 9:00 PM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

_*Knock, knock!*_

"Hello? Junichi?"

No response.

"It's me, Rumiko!"

Still no response.

"That's strange," I said to Yujiro. Yujiro, looking heavily concerned, walk towards the door.

Yujiro turned the doorknob, and found it was unlocked.

"I-it's unlocked," I said.

"This isn't normal," Yujiro said. "I smell something.

"Y-you smell something?" I asked.

Sniffing the air, and closing his eyes, Yujiro gasped almost immediately. He pushed the door open, and turned on the lights.

What I saw was something terrible.

It was worse than the play.

Because… this was someone who genuinely tried to get close to me.

Junichi was in his desk. His arms were bleeding, or had bled, and there was a puddle of blood on his desk. Two knives lay beside them, and there was a bloody baseball bat next to his bed.

Junichi… was murdered?!

_**Continued in Chapter One: Investigation**_

* * *

**==MONOKUMA THEATRE==**

#2

Monokuma: Cultures to countries are very important things.

Monokuma: You have American cultures, such as McDonalds, and fat yellow dysfunctional families.

Monokuma: You have Japanese cultures, such as Vocaloids, fanservice panties sold in street vendors, and the most important Otaku.

Monokuma: Suddenly though, these two cultures mix! You have two sides biting down each other's necks!

Monokuma: The Japanese are angry at the Americans!

Monokuma: The Americans are angry at the Japanese!

Monokuma: This is all standard business.

(AN: Don't forget to nominate your Free-Time characters for Chapter 2!)

* * *

**(AN: The ending was rushed, I know… but I really wanted to release this chapter since it's been so long, so sorry about that. I got the point across, though. Poor Junichi's dead. On another note, this chapter took so long since I was really busy this week, which stinks.**

**Like always, leave a review, please! Please nominate your Free-Time characters for Chapter 2! It would stink if your character ended up being executed, though, teehee…)**


	6. Chapter One: Investigation

**(AN: Time to respond to my reviews!**

**Onlyhalf: Yeah, I know. That motive was sickening, lol. Nice pick in a Free-Time, and thank you for the review as always! My biggest complaint is that I didn't get to develop Junichi like I would have. I think he has less sympathy than he should have, because the biggest thing is that he was bullied his entire life, and now, after meeting his first friend, he was the first to go.**

**Mr. Monokuma and Ibuki Mioda: Eh? Getting some Maizono flash backs, are we? :P Thank you for the review! I hope I updated soon enough too!**

**MonokumaSensei: What a horrible motive, it seems. Come on, it wasn't THAT bad. (Sarcasm lol). Thank you for the review!**

**Ode30: First off, sorry, didn't get a chance to approve your guest review before you posted that second one, lol. So I'll reply off of the first one. It seems like Junichi has turned into a Maizono, huh? It seems. And yeah it's pretty clear by now what role Yujiro will have for the story, isn't it? Lol. I hope it's not Dawn. In fact, I hope it's not anyone. I never like killing off my characters. (That's a lie because I love reactions, lol.) Thank you for the nominations and the review!**

**Hope everyone enjoys this investigation!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome DANGAN Island!_

USAMI: Oh my! How could it be?

USAMI: It's only the third day in, and someone is already dead!

USAMI: My heart… it's wipping apart from all of this…

USAMI: And I didn't even get to hold my motiwational meeting yet!

USAMI: Widiculous! Widiculous I say!

**CHAPTER ONE**

Investigation

Abnormal days

* * *

_**Location: Junichi's Bedroom | Time: 9:12 PM | Chapter One | Day Three**_

There it was. As clear as day. Junichi was dead. He was sitting his chair, head lowered down to the surface of the desk, and there was a puddle of blood next to his head and arms. Two knives were on top of the desk. The blades were covered in blood too.

I didn't realize it, but I was kneeling down, crying a little bit. I could feel the tears just moments later when Yujiro snapped me back into reality. There Junichi was – the first person to ever try and become my friend – dead in his seat. But Junichi of all people? What did he ever do..? Yujiro put his hand on my shoulder, and I let it rest there.

"I'm sorry," he said.

I didn't respond. I never wanted to respond to anyone, or anything.

"I'm going to fetch the others," Yujiro said. "I think you should come. You shouldn't be in this room."

Choking my tears back, I nodded, and followed Yujiro into the elevator. We went lower and lower, until we finally hit the ground. Getting off the elevator, Yujiro led me to the food court, where everyone was waiting with Usami and Meowykins.

"What's with the long face?" Shina asked cheerfully.

Yujiro prompted everyone to follow, and we went back the same way, up the elevator, and into Junichi's room. Everyone was shocked to see Junichi on his desk, dead.

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention! A dead body has been found! We'll be starting a class trial soon, so please investigate to the best of your abilities!"_

"A-a class trial?" I asked to myself. "W…what the hell…"

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"That's right!" Monokuma said, appearing from the ground. "A class trial, yo!"

"W-what's a class trial?" Are asked. "You mean… the thing you told us about?!"

"Yup! You guys need to figure out who killed Junichi Goto!"

"W-what?! Why would we do that?!" Tatsuya shrieked.

"It's a part of the rules, isn't it?" Monokuma asked. "What? You scared or something?"

"Mmm, there's something I do want to know more than that," Yujiro said, surprisingly polite.

"What is it? Would you like to test my blood type?"

"No thank you," Yujiro responded. "But it's a little off-topic now, so I guess it can wait until after the trial."

"O-oi! Hold on!" Taikan snapped. "How can you be so calm about this?! Junichi is dead, right there!"

"It's awful," Yujiro sighed. "But we have to follow Monokuma's rules anyways."

"Y-you say that without any regret," Miyoko growled, glaring at Yujiro. "One of our comrades has fallen, and you expect us to follow this creature's instructions?!"

"Ubaubaubau!" Shina whined. "I don't want! Wakabayashi-chan doesn't want!"

"I'm sorry," Yujiro said. "I'm being insensitive… but, I don't really know how else to react in situations like this."

"Y-you could at least show some more sensitivity," I choked, swallowing in my tears. "But I think we should do this always."

"R-Rumiko?!" Lucy stammered, shocked. "How can you say that..? You were closest to him, and yet –"

"Monokuma," I said, cutting Lucy off. "Whoever killed Junichi is going to be punished, right?"

"Yes ma'am!" Monokuma said. "Junichi was murdered, and one of you did it!"

"…Did one of us really?" Yujiro asked.

"What's that?"

"I mean, did _someone_ really murder Junichi?" Yujiro asked. "It really was one of us who did it?"

"That's a spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!" Monokuma cried. "Fine though. I'll repeat this. One of you sixteen students did it, alright?"

"I can't believe it!" Nanao giggled. "This is a practical joke, right?!"

"Ubaubaubau…" Shina mumbled again.

"This is an issue, isn't it?" Hideyoshi asked. "Yet my special analytical skills will come quite in handy!"

"…I guess we should start now?" Yujiro asked.

"H-hold on!" Taikan stuttered. "We're just starting to realize that Junichi's dead – how can we start now?!"

"A-and, most importantly, what are we supposed to do?" Lucy asked nervously.

"Are we supposed to investigate this murder?" Are asked. "Like a real investigation?"

"It's not that hard you guys," Monokuma said. "You know those CSI shows or what the hell ever? Just investigate a murder like them. Find evidence! Find proof! Objectify!"

"W-why do we have to do this?!" Lucy screamed.

"…Oh, are we not going to talk about how Junichi is dead?" Giichi asked.

"Turn your fucking headphones off!" Etsuya yelled.

"O-oh my…" Usami said.

"I didn't really think any of y'all had it in you, but oh well," Meowykins said.

…

(AN: I highly recommend you play this soundtrack for this chapter, as it is investigation music and can increase the suspense a little bit. I always play the investigation music when reading a SDR2 LP and it does tense up the mood. If you haven't used the soundtrack feature before, go on Youtube and find the soundtrack below. Then put the link into a Youtube repeater. Google it if you can't find one. Hope you enjoy this investigation!)

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

Are we really going to do this?

Am I really going to "investigate" this murder?

What the hell is happening?

I feel like… I'm dying just a little bit.

But I have to do this for Junichi's sake.

Not for my own, but for my first ever friend.

Avenging him… I would never forgive myself if I couldn't.

"Are you ready?" Monokuma asked. "Upupupu!"

Avenge…

"H-how can we be ready for this?!" Taikan yelled at Monokuma.

"What are we exactly doing?" Giichi asked.

"You can't take your headphones off for a second, can you?" Etsuya sighed.

"Get set…"

Avenge..!

"Ubaubaubau!" Shina muttered again.

"Abuabuabuabu!" Nanao said, repeating after Shina.

"Y-you two need to stop blabbering like that," Are said.

Avenge!

"I guess it starts," Yujiro said. "The investigation to Junichi."

I'll avenge Junichi Goto!

I'll do it for my life!

**==INVESTIGATION… START==**

MONOKUMA: First off, I'd like to tell you one thing.

YUJIRO: Tell us something?

MONOKUMA: You see this ElectroID that I am waving in my hand?

[Monokuma took out an ElectroID and turned it on.]

MONOKUMA: This ElectroID is very special, and holds something I like to call the Monokuma File.

TAIKAN: W-what's the Monokuma File?

MONOKUMA: Hmm, I guess you could say it's like a simplified autopsy report.

ARE: An autopsy report..?

MONOKUMA: You've never heard of one? Damn, you're stupid for a "peacemaker."

MONOMI: Pwease do not insult my students!

MONOKUMA: You aren't their teacher anymore.

YUJIRO: A-anyways… let's just take a look at it.

…

_**===Monokuma File Archive==**_

Choose a Monokuma File:

+ _**Monokuma File #1**_ -

…_loading_

…_loading_

_Complete!_

=== Victim – Junichi Goto

=== Time of Death – 8:01 PM

=== Method to Murder – Junichi died from slits to his wrist.

=== Additional Details – None to be spoken of.

…

YUJIRO: …

MONOKUMA: So? How about it? Aren't you impressed by this technology?

YUJIRO: …Is that it?

MONOKUMA: …Huh?

SHINA: Ababa! Monokuma, this tells us almost nothing!

HIDEYOSHI: I require an in-depth autopsy report!

DAWN: I sense there's nothing in it as we have to find it out ourselves.

MONOKUMA: Eh, that was obvious, so no props for you this time, Dawn.

MEOWYKINS: Y'all better get started..!

MONOMI: You cannot be inwolwed with this, Meowykins!

MEOWYKINS: …Right now, I'm just **waiting how this whole thing will fold out.**

MONOMI: …Hmm?

MONOKUMA: Anyways, good luck, you bastards!

_**== Monokuma File #1 has been added as ammunition. (1) **_

[Right. So now, I have to be like a detective, and find some things out about Junichi's death, huh? I guess for starters… I should go ahead and look at his body.]

[Taking a look at his body, there's nothing out of the ordinary that jumps out at me, besides the murder weapon. There's a bunch of blood on the table, and there are two knives too. It's disgusting to look at… but if it's to find out who killed Junichi…]

_**== Knives have been added as ammunition. (2) **_

_**== Amount of Blood has been added as ammunition. (3) **_

RUMIKO: …God. Who could do this..?

TAIKAN: …Don't you think it's weird?

RUMIKO: What is?

TAIKAN: The two knives look different.

RUMIKO: Huh?

[I took another glance at the knives… and Taikan was right. There was one antique knife from the antique store, and one kitchen knife that came from a restaurant.]

SHINA: Huh! That's impressive, Taikan! How'd you notice something so tiny?

TAIKAN: …

[Not speaking..?]

_**== Knives have been reloaded. A different description has been made.**_

[I guess I should… take a closer look at his body…]

SHINA: Hmm… Ubaubaubau…

RUMIKO: Shina?

SHINA: I am thinking… thinking of an impressive deduction… Thinking… hmm… ha… Aha!

RUMIKO: W-what is it?

SHINA: He's sitting up! He's in a sitting position, yo!

RUMIKO …

SHINA: Well? Pretty genius deduction, huh?

[I-I wouldn't say that…]

YUJIRO: Well, I wouldn't say it's unimportant neither, Rumiko.

RUMIKO: Eh?

DAWN: Looks like he saw right through you. As did I.

SHINA: W-what do you mean? RUMIKO! You don't like my deduction?!

RUMIKO: I-I never said that..!

ETSUYA: Tch. You were thinking it though.

RUMIKO: N-no… I wasn't..!

SHINA: Well! That's okay!

RUMIKO: Huh?

LUCY: Y-you recovered from your funk pretty fast.

SHINA: They don't call be Shishishina for nothing!

[Who in the world calls you Shishishina?]

_**== Junichi's Position has been added as ammunition. (4)**_

YUJIRO: …Take a look at this.

RUMIKO: What is it?

TAIKAN: There's an injury on his head.

YUJIRO: I think it came from that baseball bat that was beside the bed.

[The baseball bat besides the bed..? Right, I remember seeing that when I entered the room.]

TAIKAN: It's weird though…

YUJIRO: Yeah…

RUMIKO: …Uh, yeah! Yeah…

[I'm totally lost. Why is it weird?]

_**== Junichi's Head Injury has been added as ammunition. (5)**_

_**== Baseball Bat has been added as ammunition. (6)**_

TAIKAN: The baseball bat is pretty hard though.

NANAO: Wham! Straight to the moon, a baseball will say!

ETSUYA: Baseballs wouldn't say that.

YUJIRO: It does seem to be a rather hard baseball.

DAWN: Well, it is made out of metal.

YUJIRO: A metal baseball… huh?

DAWN: It can hit rather hard.

HIDEYOSHI: My, my. I wouldn't want to get hit by a baseball any time soon.

TERUYO: I can't say the same.

MITSUO: Ha ha! Eww, Teruyo! We all know what you mean!

TERUYO: …Please continue to comment on it, Yujiro.

TAIKAN: How can you think about that at a time like this..?

ARE: I think that's enough… we should probably continue our investigation.

RUMIKO: Right. So the baseball is metal…

LUCY: That must mean… it can hit harder, right?

ARE: Metal is much harder than wood, yes.

LUCY: But where would someone find a baseball bat like this? There are no sports stores open.

TERUYO: The department store does not sell any baseball bats as well.

YUJIRO: …If you want to find out where the bat came from, why not try the antique store?

GIICHI: …This song sucks. Next.

ETSUYA: Ignore him…

SHINA: Yahoo! The antique store is bound to have some baseball bats that belonged to old geezers, huh?!

NANAO: I'm not sure I would call them old, Shina. They're probably much older than old!

SHINA: …Rubbing my temples… rubbing them hard… Right! How can you be older than old?

TAIKAN: Let's move on…

_**== Baseball Bat has been reloaded into Metal Baseball Bat. A new description has been made.**_

[I guess I'm done in here… I should probably check the antique store… and then the food court. Right! …Wait a minute. What's that? Is that a picture of a skateboard..? Why is there a picture of a skateboard on top of Junichi's desk?]

RUMIKO: Etsuya, do you know anything about this?

ETSUYA: …No? How the fuck should I know anything about that?

RUMIKO: W-well, I was just wondering, since you are a skateboarder –

ETSUYA: Fuck off.

[Friendly as ever.]

_**== Picture of Skateboard has been added as ammunition. (7)**_

RUMIKO: Alright… I guess I'm done here.

DAWN: …I foresee that you are about to ask me a question.

RUMIKO: I wasn't.

DAWN: …Hmph!

[Yikes. Did I rub off on her the wrong way?]

DAWN: Either way, I have some interesting information that you might like to know.

RUMIKO: …Did you tell the others?

DAWN: Not yet. I was about to after I told you.

RUMIKO: Can't you tell all of us at once..?

DAWN: Can't you let me do things my way?

[Y-yes, your majesty…]

DAWN: Anyways, I do believe I can make as a witness for this trial.

RUMIKO: R-really? How?

DAWN: I was in the restaurant about half an hour before Junichi was killed.

DAWN: Some person in a trench suit went in and got two knives from the restaurant.

DAWN: That is all.

RUMIKO: …Really? That's it?

YUJIRO: Well, I'd say it's pretty useful information.

RUMIKO: Y-Yujiro?

DAWN: Have you been spying?

YUJIRO: W-well, spying is a strong word. But yes… In an essence.

DAWN: Either way, it makes no matter to me.

DAWN: Do what you want with my information.

_**== Dawn's Testimony has been added as ammunition. (8)**_

RUMIKO: She's weird.

YUJIRO: Haha…

RUMIKO: And why'd you come here?

YUJIRO: Er, what?

RUMIKO: You didn't come over here just to spy on us, did you?

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: So I've been caught…

YUJIRO: But it's nothing nefarious or anything like that.

RUMIKO: Did you find something out?

YUJIRO: I did actually, so I came to you first, seeing as you were Junichi's friend.

YUJIRO: You'd probably want to know first…

RUMIKO: You'd lose that bet.

YUJIRO: A-anyways, here.

[Yujiro held out a piece of paper, and on it, was something in blood that said ESYA.]

RUMIKO: Esya? What is esya..?

YUJIRO: It's probably a dying message by Junichi.

RUMIKO: Dying message, huh? But what would esya mean?

YUJIRO: Well, if you look at it closely, it looks like some blood was wiped off.

RUMIKO: Wiped off?

YUJIRO: There are smudge marks all over this paper. It's obvious actually, that someone shortened the message.

RUMIKO: …So it spells a different word?

YUJIRO: It should. I think I have a pretty good handle on what esya would mean.

RUMIKO: Right. What does it mean?

YUJIRO: Hold your horses. I'm not done presenting all my evidence.

RUMIKO: There's more..?

YUJIRO: There is indeed.

YUJIRO: Take a look at this.

[Yujiro held out a Journal. Inside, the contents were all erased sloppily, making it impossible to read the text.]

RUMIKO: W-why would someone erase that?

YUJIRO: It's not obvious? It was to conceal a second dying message.

RUMIKO: A second dying message?

YUJIRO: Junichi made **two** dying messages during his death. Not just one.

RUMIKO: R-really?

YUJIRO: But someone clearly tampered with the evidence.

YUJIRO: Though I have a good idea on who did it.

RUMIKO: W-who?

YUJIRO: …Not telling.

RUMIKO: Why not?!

YUJIRO: Because I'd rather not cast false suspicion just yet.

YUJIRO: If we're going to solve this mystery, it would obviously happen during the class trial.

YUJIRO: Telling you now would probably just lead to bias feelings.

RUMIKO: …Right. I get it.

YUJIRO: But we're not done here.

RUMIKO: We're not..?

YUJIRO: First of all, I can salvage Junichi's second dying message, if you want.

RUMIKO: O-of course I do…

YUJIRO: Alright. Your wish is my command.

[Yujiro took out a piece of paper and tore out the pages containing Junichi's second dying message. He began to scribble the paper with something ferociously.]

RUMIKO: W-what are you doing?

YUJIRO: Haven't you seen this on mystery shows before?

YUJIRO: I'm just salvaging the second message, as all.

[Right. I actually did see that before.]

YUJIRO: …I'll be busy working on this for a while.

YUJIRO: You might want to explore the restaurant and antique store while I'm doing this.

RUMIKO: Right. Got it. I'll be back.

[So far, I haven't learned anything at all. Jeez…]

_**== Junichi's First Dying Message has been added as ammunition. (9)**_

_**== Journal has been added as ammunition. (10)**_

RUMIKO: By the way, before I leave… where did you find these things?

YUJIRO: In the trash can. You can always find something good in a trash can…

RUMIKO: …Yeah.

[Weird.]

_**== Trash Can has been added as ammunition. (11)**_

[Anyways… I'll head off for the food court first, seeing as it's on my way there. Right, let's go.]

_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 9:57 PM | Chapter One | Day Three **_

[Arriving at the food court, I was greeted by none other than…]

DAWN: I knew you were coming.

RUMIKO: Okay…

DAWN: Yes… indeed. So I've decided to lend a hand.

RUMIKO: T-thanks, I guess.

DAWN: Besides, I haven't told you which restaurant I saw the person leave in, right?

RUMIKO: I guess not.

DAWN: Then it is settled.

[…Yay? After exchanging numerous remarks, we found ourselves in the kitchen of the Burger Shop restaurant.]

DAWN: I smell meat.

RUMIKO: Nothing is cooking though.

DAWN: I can smell raw meat.

RUMIKO: O-okay.

[Creepy…]

RUMIKO: Anyways, we should probably –

DAWN: Take a look at the knife rack.

RUMIKO: Y-

DAWN: -eah.

RUMIKO: Could you –

DAWN: -stop that?

RUMIKO: …

[There's no getting through to her.]

DAWN: …

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: As I suspected. There are two knives missing from this rack.

RUMIKO: …Two? Are you sure it's not one?

DAWN: Yes. I am quite sure. Why do you ask?

RUMIKO: Because there were two knives next to Junichi, but one of them belonged to the antique store.

DAWN: …Is that so?

RUMIKO: Yeah.

DAWN: So does that mean the other knife is at the antique store?

RUMIKO: I think so…

DAWN: Then we shall venture to the antique store.

RUMIKO: …

[Great.]

_**== Missing Knives in Restaurant was added as ammunition. (12)**_

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: Are you troubled?

RUMIKO: Obviously.

RUMIKO: It's bad enough Junichi was killed…

RUMIKO: …but I have to believe that one of us killed him too.

DAWN: …

DAWN: Well, don't be alarmed.

DAWN: I don't see anything… awful, coming to us any time soon.

RUMIKO: What do you mean?

DAWN: My vision right now is rather vague.

DAWN: But I simply mean that nothing bad will happen to us.

RUMIKO: …

[Thanks for being more specific.]

_**== Dawn's Vision was added as ammunition. (13) **_

RUMIKO: Anyways, is there anything important left to look at?

DAWN: I do not believe so.

RUMIKO: Got it. Let's go to the antique store then.

DAWN: …Actually, I think I might remain here for a while.

RUMIKO: Huh? Why's that?

DAWN: I believe I may be able to find more information **about the person in the trench coat.**

RUMIKO: You mean… like where the trench coat was hidden?

DAWN: …Perhaps.

DAWN: Well then, I bid you farewell.

[Dawn left to the restaurant, leaving me alone. But it wasn't time to think about that. I had to head to the Antique Store.]

* * *

_**Location: The Antique Store | Time: 10:20 PM | Chapter One | Day Three (nighttime)**_

[I opened the doors to the antique store… and saw Taikan and Hideyoshi scooping the place out.]

HIDEYOSHI: …and thus, the theory was completed, and Isaac Winkletons became a national famous scientist, observing –

TAIKAN: Rumiko! Thank God!

RUMIKO: W-what?

TAIKAN: This guy won't keep quiet at all…

TAIKAN: I'm trying to get him to help investigate, but no, he won't.

RUMIKO: Never mind that. Did you find knives anywhere, maybe?

TAIKAN: As cold as always, huh?

HIDEYOSHI: If you are looking for antique cutlery, I recommend you check the back storage room.

HIDEYOSHI: There are none out here on display to speak of!

RUMIKO: Thanks…

TAIKAN: I-I'll come with you.

RUMIKO: …

TAIKAN: W-well, say something about it…

RUMIKO: …

TAIKAN: Jeez…

* * *

_**Location: The Antique Store Back Room | Time: 10:23 PM | Chapter One | Day Three (nighttime)**_

[Entering the back room, a gust of wind came in tough with our faces. The air conditioner buzzed loudly as we stepped inside to investigate. Walking further, we saw Nanao investigating as well.]

NANAO: Oh, hey! It's Taikan and Rumiko!

TAIKAN: Oh, Nanao! How are you?

NANAO: Mmm, all things considering…

NANAO: Haha! I'm awesome!

RUMIKO: …How could you say that after Junichi was killed?

NANAO: E-er, I try to get rid of these bad thoughts in my mind…

NANAO: Instead though, I found something totally cool!

RUMIKO: Cool?

TAIKAN: Are you talking about evidence?

NANAO: Yup! Look! Look!

[Nanao presented a chef's knife in front of us.]

NANAO: A knife! It's important, isn't it?

RUMIKO: It could be any knife, though…

TAIKAN: No. I doubt it.

RUMIKO: Hmm?

TAIKAN: It's probably a knife from the restaurant.

RUMIKO: H-how did you –

DAWN: *shh*

RUMIKO: AHH!

TAIKAN: Haha, Dawn whispered it to me while you were off here, distracted!

DAWN: …

RUMIKO: Why do that..?

DAWN: My apologies. But I came to report on my investigations for the trench coat.

RUMIKO: Did you find anything?

DAWN: No.

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: …

TAIKAN: …Is that it?

DAWN: Yes.

RUMIKO: …

DAWN: …

RUMIKO: So… are you helping us with this?

DAWN: Yes.

RUMIKO: Okay then.

DAWN: …Haha.

RUMIKO: What's so funny?

DAWN: Nothing.

RUMIKO: …

[Jesus Christ.]

NANAO: Hey! What are these?

RUMIKO: Hmm?

DAWN: It seems like Nanao is further in the back.

TAIKAN: Did she find something?

[The three of us ventured closer into the back, and saw Nanao holding up a pair of kneepads. There was a loose ring attached to one of the kneepads that were circled around a pole.]

NANAO: I found these behind the box.

RUMIKO: Kneepads?

TAIKAN: I wonder if they're important to the case…

NANAO: Dawn? Can you foresee anything?

DAWN: …Unfortunately, no. I am not getting any premonitions now.

RUMIKO: Oh. That's okay, I guess.

TAIKAN: Still… it's weird.

RUMIKO: Yeah. You wouldn't except to find kneepads in an antique store.

NANAO: Teehee!

_**== Kneepads were added as ammunition. (14)**_

_**== Chef's Knife was added as ammunition. (15) **_

RUMIKO: Alright, let's take these kneepads and get out of here. There's nothing else to investigate, I don't think.

DAWN: You did not find a knife holder for that antique knife back at the crime scene?

NANAO: Hmm, I don't think there was any to begin with…

DAWN: I see.

RUMIKO: Meaning it probably came from one of those storage boxes.

TAIKAN: It would take too much time to search through them all, wouldn't it?

RUMIKO: Yeah. Probably.

DAWN: Well then… let us venture out.

RUMIKO: Alright, let's take the kneepads with us, in case. Nanao?

NANAO: Okay!

[Nanao tugged on the kneepads, and the pole moved with it.]

NANAO: Woah! Doggy!

DAWN: Hmm? The pole moved with the kneepads.

TAIKAN: The kneepads are attached to the pole. That's why.

RUMIKO: The kneepads were attached to the pole? So were they going to sell it?

TAIKAN: I doubt they would have. Like we said, there's almost no chance of kneepads being sold in an antique store, is there?

RUMIKO: …No, you're probably right. Still, it wouldn't hurt to record it.

TAIKAN: I guess. It might be involve with this case anyhow.

_**== Pole was added as ammunition. (16)**_

NANAO: I took the kneepads off the pole!

RUMIKO: Alright. Let's go. We need to get back to the crime scene.

DAWN: Why is that?

RUMIKO: Yujiro is doing something important for us there.

DAWN: …Might he be finding more evidence?

TAIKAN: I'm pretty sure besides the baseball bat and the knives, there wasn't much to it. But alright, let's go. There's not much places else we can look.

NANAO: Okie dokie, then!

RUMIKO: Off we go.

_**Location: Junichi's Bedroom | Time: 10:58 PM | Chapter One | Day Three (nighttime)**_

RUMIKO: Yujiro..?

YUJIRO: Ah, Rumiko. You're right on time. I just finished the rubbings.

DAWN: Ah. So that's what you were doing.

RUMIKO: Let's take a look at what it says then…

…

_**==Junichi's Dying Message 2==**_

_It reads,_

_ Day _ at the Shopping Spree of Mutual Killings. It's already been like this… my parents were killed right in front of me. So why d_'t I des_-ve to die? Plus, that _ Etsuya… He's getting on my nerves. I think… it'll be best… if he were _ somehow… I wonder… how I could to that? Oh, I _ care. As long… as he's _ for it._

…

RUMIKO: …That's a dying message?

YUJIRO: No. It's most likely an entry in his journal. Looks like we pegged this wrong, Rumiko.

RUMIKO: Still… why does it mention Etsuya's name?

YUJIRO: …It's probably related, somehow. Besides, I think I can say what I was going to say before to you confidently now.

NANAO: Hmm? What's that?

YUJIRO: Rumiko and I found this dying message in the trash can.

RUMIKO: W-well, I didn't do anything. Yujiro should take all the credit.

YUJIRO: You're too kind, Rumiko.

YUJIRO: Anyways, let's take a look at what it says.

…

_**==Junichi's Dying Message 1==**_

E_S_YA

…

YUJIRO: I suspected this before… but what does "esya" look slightly similar to?

RUMIKO: …Esya?

DAWN: Are you… talking about Etsuya?

RUMIKO: Huh?

YUJIRO: Yes. His name is written down in a dying message, and the journal.

YUJIRO: It is most likely the case that he is involved with this, somehow.

RUMIKO: A-are you sure?

YUJIRO: Positive.

RUMIKO: B-but… I know Etsuya can be hardass, really. But him killing?

TAIKAN: B-but remember what he said? He wouldn't count him out from killing.

YUJIRO: Don't get me wrong. I'm not accusing him of murder.

NANAO: If it's not murder, then why are you talking about Etsuya-kun like that?

YUJIRO: …He's definitely involved with this murder.

YUJIRO: But is he the culprit..?

RUMIKO: What do you mean..? A dying message… and an even bigger piece of incriminating evidence…

YUJIRO: Hmm?

DAWN: We found kneepads in the backroom of the antique store.

YUJIRO: And?

DAWN: The antique store was where the antique knife from here was found.

YUJIRO: So?

TAIKAN: So when you put two and two together, Etsuya was most likely at the antique store when this crime went down, right?

YUJIRO: Right?

TAIKAN: …

YUJIRO: …Haha, no, I get what you're saying.

YUJIRO: But there's a reason why I can't one-hundred percent accuse Etsuya of murder.

RUMIKO: Why is that?

YUJIRO: I think… it has something to do with the location of Junichi's body.

RUMIKO: You think?

YUJIRO: There are definitely discrepancies between the two.

YUJIRO: But I think I'll save them for the trial.

RUMIKO: Why can't you tell us now?

YUJIRO: Didn't I tell you before?

YUJIRO: I'm not an exact fan of bias emotions.

YUJIRO: Besides. It's not like how certain I am that Etsuya is involved with this case.

YUJIRO: There's a chance that what I'm thinking is not true.

YUJIRO: Plus… **I hope it's not true.**

RUMIKO: Hmm?

[He hopes it's not true..? What on Earth could he be thinking of?]

_**== Rubbings were added as ammunition. (17)**_

_**== Junichi's Body Location was added as ammunition. (18)**_

_**== Junichi's First Dying message was reloaded. The description has changed.**_

_Music halts_

*_Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

MONOKUMA: Attention, you bastards! I think you took long enough!

MEOWYKINS: Y'all will now start this class trial! Y'all best prepare yourselves!

RUMIKO: …Meowykins? I thought it was working to protect us too.

YUJIRO: Looks like it changed sides.

TAIKAN: W-we should probably go, right?

MONOKUMA: Please head towards the entrance plaza fountain! I'll see you there!

…

The fountain? The entrance plaza fountain?

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to an Ocean's Aroma_

"Is it time to go?" I asked.

"We probably should," Yujiro said. "We don't want to anger Monokuma, would we?"

"No," Dawn said. "It's wise to just follow his instructions for now."

"Hmm… I wonder how these class trials will go, right?" Nanao asked.

"They can't be anything be anything good," Taikan said nervously. "I just… don't know what to expect. We're going to be executed if we finger the wrong person, right?"

"So we better make this count," I replied. "Let's go."

* * *

_**Location: Entrance Plaza | Time: 11:10 PM | Chapter One | Day Three (nighttime)**_

"Yo!" Monokuma said, popping in from behind the fountain.

"Hey, y'all!" Meowykins said, popping in from behind Monokuma.

"Oh my, two vicious enemies," Monomi said from behind us. "What are we going to do..?"

"Upupupu, are you guys ready for the class trial?" Monokuma asked.

"I wonder what's gonna go down," Shina said. "I'm so excited I could implode!"

"W-w-why the hell are you excited?" Tatsuya stammered. "This isn't something to get excited about, you know!"

"Ha! I'm excited too!" Etsuya smirked. "We're gonna send a bastard to their dooms!"

Etsuya… the dying message… the journal… and then the kneepads.

What was his relation to this case?

"Etsuya," I started. "I want to ask you one thing.

"Eh?"

"…Have you made any contact with Junichi before his death?"

"…What do you mean?"

"I'm wondering this too," Yujiro said, interrupting us. "Did you?"

"…I don't have to tell anything to you."

"But he did, didn't he?" Shina said. "He was bullying Junichi again just a little ways before!"

"S-still?! After his –"

"That's enough," Yujiro said. "We've heard enough, haven't we, Rumiko?"

Etsuya… you were still bullying him?

How could you?

Don't you get… how fragile he was?

_**== Shina's Testimony was added as ammunition. (19)**_

"Upupupu, are you bastards ready now?"

Monokuma pressed a button with his hand, and we all watched in fear and awe as the fountain rose. The fountain rose, and rose, until there was deep blackness in the hole that was created as a result by it. It seemed to go further and further into darkness, but there was a spiral staircase sandwiched between it as well.

"W-what is this?" I asked.

"Are we supposed to go in that?" Taikan asked nervously.

"I wonder what this is?" Giichi asked himself.

"Now go down!" Monokuma said. "That'll take you to your fabulous courtroom, where you will be fabulously put on trial, for the murder of Junichi Goto!"

...the murder of Junichi Goto.

Was it really murder?

How could any of us kill?

As I headed down the spiral staircase; that was the only thought that remained in my head.

How could any of us kill?

Eventually we reached the bottom.

There was a large courtroom inside, and the wallpaper was ridiculous; crayon self-portraits of Meowykins were plastered around the walls.

"Upupupu, ready for the trial?" Monokuma asked, laughing.

"Well! Let's get started!" Meowykins exclaimed.

This is it.

Our first class trial.

My knees were shaking in fear. Fear that I wouldn't be able to find out who killed Junichi. The death… of my friend. I felt comfortable enough to call him my friend now. It's sad – that after death, I was only able to consider him one. Yet… if I avenge him…

He'll definitely be watching somewhere. He'll forgive me.

It was time to start.

The class trial to live… or the class trial to die.

_**Continued in Chapter One: Class Trial**_

**Have you got your facts straight?**

_AMMUNITION LIST_

1 – Monokuma File #1

2 – Knives

3 – Amount of Blood

4 – Junichi's Position

5 – Junichi's Head Injury

6 – Metal Baseball Bat

7 – Picture of Skateboard

8 – Dawn's Testimony

9 – Junichi's First Dying Message

10 – Journal

11 – Trash Can

12 – Missing Knives

13 – Dawn's Vision

14 – Kneepads

15 – Chef's Knife

16 – Pole

17 – Rubbings

18 – Junichi's Body Location

19 – Shina's Testimony

* * *

**==MONOKUMA THEATRE==**

#3

MONOKUMA: How inspirational do you consider national heroes to be?

MONOKUMA: Don't you think that they're just normal chumps who get lucky breaks here and there?

MONOKUMA: For example… an ordinary teen is walking by a park, and sees three kittens stuck up a tree.

MONOKUMA: And look! There just so happens to be a ladder nearby that belongs to the park!

MONOKUMA: So he climbs up, and gets the kittens, and boom! He's in the papers.

MONOKUMA: The media can get really annoying that way.

MONOKUMA: He didn't deserve any praise at all.

MONOKUMA: In fact, he prevented me from my meal! Rawr!

MONOKUMA: Be sure to read this end Author's Note! Whoops! Fourth wall!

* * *

**(AN: Hope you liked the investigation. I tried a new format, but if you guys don't like it, I can write the future ones in the more traditional format. Anyways, wow! Quick update, huh? Investigations are so much easier to write than trials and (ab)normal days, lol. Anyways, PLEASE leave feedback on the new format. A simple, "yes I like it," or a "no I hate it," would suffice.**

**It's not too late to nominate characters for Chapter 2's Free-Time. Also, if you are feeling so inclined, see if you can guess who the survivors will be. Of course, I already know who's going to die and who's going to live, teehee… **

**As always please leave a review, and see you guys later!)**


	7. Chapter One: Class Trial I

**(AN: Just going to reply to reviews. Nothing new to talk about here.**

**Ode30: Yay! Lol. Just as a reference, in the future, just because a character doesn't do anything, doesn't mean you should be worried. They have the same chance as being the culprit as any other. That doesn't mean she's NOT the culprit in this case though, teehee…**

**Iloveyourstories: Hmm… looks like you got it hit right on the head. Or did you? Nah, you probably did. Thank you for leaving the review!**

**MonokumaSensei: Thank you! Just because someone seems obvious doesn't mean they can't be the culprit! But keep on thinking… never know when you're right or wrong.**

**Enjoy this chapter, you guys!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island_

USAMI: Is it time? Is it time alweady?

USAMI: I'm cwying inside… why do my pwecious students have to go through this?

USAMI: I've seen it happen twice…

USAMI: But I'm not worrying!

USAMI: These students are different! They'll get through this by hope!

USAMI: P-poor Junichi…

**CHAPTER ONE**

THE CLASS TRIAL

_Have you got your facts straight?_

_AMMUNITION LIST_

1 – Monokuma File #1

2 – Knives

3 – Amount of Blood

4 – Junichi's Position

5 – Junichi's Head Injury

6 – Metal Baseball Bat

7 – Picture of Skateboard

8 – Dawn's Testimony

9 – Junichi's First Dying Message

10 – Journal

11 – Trash Can

12 – Missing Knives

13 – Dawn's Vision

14 – Kneepads

15 – Chef's Knife

16 – Pole

17 – Rubbings

18 – Junichi's Body Location

19 – Shina's Testimony

...

**COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!**

…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

MONOKUMA: First off, since this is your first class trial, I thought that I'd help you a little bit. Guide you little ducklings to the pond.

SHINA: Eh? Ducklings?

NANAO: Ducklings don't need to go to the pond. Fish do!

ETSUYA: …You didn't seriously say that, did you?

MONOKUMA: Anyways, let's get started…

HIDEYOSHI: Indeed! A duckling would love to float and bathe in an excellent body of water!

MONOKUMA: Okay, we can all shut up now.

MEOWYKINS: Y'all better listen to the bear over here!

MONOMI: No! Do not worry, students! Keep interrupting Monokuma all you want!

YUJIRO: …I do have a few questions before we begin.

MONOKUMA: Yes? What is it, my dear?

YUJIRO: First off, why is Monomi tied up?

MONOMI: Pwease call me by my real name: Usami!

MONOKUMA: She's my little sister. She's annoying. I've been through all of this before…

MONOKUMA: It's depressing! I just want to tie her up into knots and separate parts of her body, but she does make a good method of murder.

MONOMI: Eh?

MONOKUMA: When someone sees her face… they'd want to **kill!**

MONOMI: My fwace does not cweate a violent reaction!

YUJIRO: Second, was it really one of **us** who killed Junichi?

MONOKUMA: Of course it was. One of the sixteen of you killed Junichi Goto. That's how murder works.

TAIKAN: Still… I can't imagine any of us actually killing…

GIICHI: That execution was rather brutal though. I don't think that it's too much of a surprise.

SHINA: Eh? Giichi? You lowered your volume on your headphones?

GIICHI: It seemed important enough to get my attention.

ETSUYA: Sheesh…

MIYOKO: Enough with this idle chit-chat. We need to begin right away.

YUJIRO: Hold on, Miyoko. I still have a question to ask.

TERUYO: …A smooth question, huh?

YUJIRO: …No…

TERUYO: …Alright.

YUJIRO: First… that motive… about you stealing our **memories.**

MONOKUMA: Hmm?

YUJIRO: I doubt that was real. I can't imagine it being real.

YUJIRO: Therefore, that part of the motive wasn't involved with this case, was it?

LUCY: What are you talking about? Was stealing our memories part of the motive?

ARE: Was it not just the deaths of our parents?

MONOKUMA: No, he's right. It was sort of subtle though.

ARE: S-so… our memories were taken from us?!

TATSUYA: I-I-I don't believe that for shit!

MONOKUMA: It's true though! But we can debate about that later!

RUMIKO: Why later?

MONOKUMA: It's not involved with the case.

MONOKUMA: I'll give you guys a little hint. No, Junichi was not murdered, because his killer was influenced by the memory wipes.

MONOKUMA: Crystal clear?

YUJIRO: Crystal.

YUJIRO: I still… don't want to believe one of us killed him though.

MEOWYKINS: What a dumb person, meow. Of course no one wants to believe that.

MEOWYKINS: But it's true y'all! One of you killed Junichi Goto!

MONOMI: And how do you know that?!

MEOWYKINS: Monokuma and I are like tight friends now, isn't that right, meow?

MONOKUMA: Yup. We're like two chickens about to be eaten by an alligator!

MEOWYKINS: That doesn't work as a metaphor, honey. Meow!

MONOKUMA: It doesn't?

MITSUO: Hmm… what are we supposed to do from here though?

MITSUO: Waaahhh! I'm scared!

MONOKUMA: You're supposed to find out who murdered Junichi Goto of course!

ETSUYA: Easier said than done. How the fuck are we supposed to do that?

MONOKUMA: Hmm? Didn't you investigate?

MONOKUMA: This courtroom runs like a quasi-style one. You guys talk about whoever killed Junichi Goto, then when you feel like you've made a decent accusation towards someone…

MONOKUMA: I say whether or not you are right or wrong!

MIYOKO: If we do not finger the correct culprit…

MONOKUMA: You will be **punished!**

TAIKAN: But if we finger the correct culprit instead of getting it wrong…

MONOKUMA: They will be **punished!**

RUMIKO: …

[Punished? As in executed?]

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: …Alright. How do we start this thing?

MONOKUMA: You should start by talking about a certain topic. Upupupu, which one will you think about?

YUJIRO: …First off, I'd like to present some evidence to all of you.

NANAO: Ooh! Evidence! OBJECTION! I'm pointing my finger at YOU!

YUJIRO: Haha… I didn't even show my evidence yet!

NANAO: …Hmm, so what is it?

SHINA: It's not anything nasty is it?! Eww! Yujiro!

YUJIRO: Hee, no.

YUJIRO: It's in fact, a dying message left by Junichi.

ETSUYA: A dying message..?

ARE: Are you familiar with the term?

ETSUYA: I mean… it's obvious, even if you've never heard of it before.

GIICHI: Who was this message addressing?

LUCY: Dying messages usually address someone, I guess.

MITSUO: Hurry and tell us, Yujiro! I want to get out of this place!

YUJIRO: Alright, alright…

YUJIRO: But before I show this to you, I want you all to promise you won't get any bias from this.

ETSUYA: Bias?

YUJIRO: Automatically when I show this paper, there's someone's name on it.

[That name… it belongs to Etsuya.]

YUJIRO: Because of that, you'll automatically rule out that person as the murderer, right?

TATSUYA: Y-yeah… who wouldn't?

TATSUYA: I mean… it's obvious that whoever's name is on that paper must be the killer, right?

YUJIRO: …You would think, huh?

YUJIRO: But there's a reason why this person _can't_ be the killer.

SHINA: Hmm? Then this guy isn't the killer?

YUJIRO: I'm not saying that either… I'm saying it can go either way.

[Etsuya isn't the killer..? I don't believe that for a second. There's more than enough evidence to incriminate him.]

YUJIRO: Let me show you now. This paper has Etsuya's name written on it.

ETSUYA: Huh?! Mine?!

ETSUYA: W-w-w-why the hell would that fucker write my name on it?!

TAIKAN: It's written with his blood, isn't it?

YUJIRO: Yes. But some of it is wiped away.

ETSUYA: W-wiped away?

YUJIRO: You can see clearly here. It looks like Junichi spelled "ESYA" from the distance.

YUJIRO: But what does that spell out into? There are smudges everywhere that suggest that his name was erased somehow.

DAWN: As a result, it's more than likely "ESYA" actually translates into Etsuya, am I correct?

YUJIRO: Yes.

ETSUYA: H-hold the fucking door! That could mean anything! Anything at all!

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: No. You are most definitely involved with this murder somehow.

ETSUYA: H-huh?

ETSUYA: Y-you're fucking lying!

ETSUYA: There's not even proof that "ESYA" means my name!

MITSUO: Stop denying it and face the truth!

MITSUO: My allergies are acting up in this dusty place!

ETSUYA: T-Tch…

[It's definite that Etsuya is involved with this murder. First off, I have to prove that "ESYA" definitely spells out Etsuya. I… should have something that proves that.]

_What you are about to read next is the first Nonstop Debate. The Nonstop Debate is stylized so that it will resemble the game. The characters will begin speaking, and contradictory terms will be __**bolded.**__ However, like always, there is only one contradictory term. That contradictory term will be surrounded by equal signs, being stylized like so: __**==insert contradictory term here.==**__ I hope you will follow along, and piece together the murder with these students of hope. Good luck…_

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE ONE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

…

_Usable Ammunition:_

_- Journal_

_- Shina's Testimony_

_- Rubbings_

_- Trash Can_

_- Kneepads_

…

ETSUYA: T-there's no proof! Why does "ESYA" mean Etsuya?!

TAIKAN: Junichi was writing a dying message, wasn't he?

TAIKAN: **So it would only make sense** for him to be spelling your name.

MIYOKO: In addition, there were the erased blood marks…

SHINA: Yahoo! Erased blood! Only a sicko would touch that!

ETSUYA: N-no! Fucking no!

YUJIRO: In that case, why don't we present evidence that proves he was talking about you?

ETSUYA: Fine! Show me! **==Why does "ESYA" mean that it had to belong to me?!==**

RUMIKO: You've got that wrong!

_Ammunition used: Rubbings_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: It's definite. Junichi was talking about you, and we have proof.

ETSUYA: Liar! Fuck you!

YUJIRO: Now, now, let's be a little more friendly here!

YUJIRO: Alright Rumiko, you tell him. Why does "ESYA" mean Etsuya?

RUMIKO: These rubbings are more than enough proof.

ETSUYA: Rubbings? What rubbings?

YUJIRO: When we found a journal in the trash can, there was a page with completely erased text.

YUJIRO: But I managed to retrieve it.

ETSUYA: Tch!

ETSUYA: So? What do rubbings have to do with anything? That doesn't prove shit!

RUMIKO: No, it definitely shows something.

ETSUYA: Huh?

[The reason why this proves Etsuya is the killer… it has to be because…]

**== Only he would have erased it. **

== Because the rubbings mention Etsuya.

== Because Etsuya was the one who wrote it.

[RUMIKO: This is it!]

RUMIKO: It's because of two things. First off, there's something interesting on the text that would prove you're the killer.

ETSUYA: Huh? What would that be?!

RUMIKO: It mentions your name directly.

ETSUYA: H-huh?!

YUJIRO: You see, it's a diary entry, so to speak, that Junichi created, that mentioned you being something.

YUJIRO: Some of the text was unsalvageable. But it does mention your name.

TATSUYA: W-what does that mean?

YUJIRO: First off, it shows that someone erased this journal entry.

YUJIRO: The only one who would benefit from this is Etsuya.

ETSUYA: Tch!

RUMIKO: Think about it. What gain would a normal person have from erasing a journal page like that?

DAWN: I see.

DAWN: It shows that only Etsuya would have erased the text.

RUMIKO: Yes. It's clear that because of that… Etsuya must have erased the text from the journal.

ETSUYA: **SHUT YOUR MOUTH ALREADY!**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial ODD EDITION_

ETSUYA: No, no, no! So what? That doesn't have anything to do on what we're talking about NOW!

RUMIKO: …

ETSUYA: We're talking about that first dying message, aren't we?

ETSUYA: Just because I erased the text, it doesn't mean anything at all for the dying message!

ETSUYA: I don't have anything to do with this murder besides me erasing the text!

YUJIRO: What benefit would you have from entering Junichi's room just to erase some text?

ETSUYA: That doesn't matter! Am I wrong, Rumiko?!

RUMIKO: …

[Yes. That's an obvious yes. But… I guess I won't be able to shut him up if I don't take him on.]

_Were you surprised at Etsuya's outburst? I wasn't. I believe I used that line before in a different tutorial. Anyways, what you just heard was an outburst by a student who believes that your reasoning is wrong and they are correct. That means that they are CROSSING SWORDS with you. It's going to be a logic battle between you and your foe. Similar to Nonstop Debates, contradictory terms are within equal signs. __**==Insert statement here.==**__ On a final note, you will often see marks that look like this: …=/=... That will represent you cutting through your opponent's logic. You will see how this unfolds now, won't you? Try and piece together the puzzle…and I bid you farewell._

* * *

_Soundtrack: CROSS SWORD_

**==PHASE TWO==**

_Cross Swords Battle!_

…

_Usable Blades:_

- Junichi's First Dying Message

- Journal

- Rubbings

- Trash Can

- Shina's Testimony

…

ETSUYA: Just because…=/=…that I erased the text means nothing!

ETSUYA: You can't **even prove**…=/=…that I erased the text at all!

ETSUYA: Isn't that right?...=/=…You have no proof of that!

ETSUYA: So your argument is…=/=…invalid! You can't argue when you don't have a basis!

…_**DEVELOPMENT!**_

Cross Swords!

=/= =/= =/= =/= =/=

RUMIKO: How can you prove that you're not involved with this case?

RUMIKO: I'm almost one hundred percent sure that you're involved with this case somehow.

ETSUYA: Ha! Liar! …=/=…I'm not involved with this at all!

ETSUYA: Get that in your head…=/=…I **never even went **into his room!

ETSUYA: **==Why does it mean that I erased his dying message?!==**

RUMIKO: I'll cut that claim to pieces!

_Sword Used: Junichi's First Dying Message_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: No! You definitely did something to tamper with that dying message that Junichi wrote!

ETSUYA: Huh?! How'd you get that idea?!

RUMIKO: I'm just applying common sense here!

RUMIKO: You went into his room to erase his journal entry, making it so no one was suspicious of you, seeing as the journal was erased!

YUJIRO: In addition, the journal was found in the trash can.

RUMIKO: Because of that, you erased the text, and you saw Junichi's dying message!

YUJIRO: By that time, the blood already had to have dried. Otherwise, it's impossible for there not to be any more tampering done to the message.

YUJIRO: There's something else too, isn't there, Rumiko? A hint that Junichi was giving to us that Etsuya was **involved** with this case.

RUMIKO: _A hint… What evidence was that?_

== **Presenting Ammunition #7: Picture of Skateboard ==**

RUMIKO: That picture of a skateboard found on his desk?

RUMIKO: You did what you could with water or something to make the message unreadable. Plus, there was that picture of a skateboard!

RUMIKO: You could do that in one blow…after you had killed Junichi!

ETSUYA: A…AHHHHHHHH?!

MIYOKO: W-what was that? Etsuya was the culprit to this case?

MITSUO: Wow, Rumiko-oneechan! It all makes sense!

MITSUO: **So that son of a bitch must have murdered Junichi Goto, HUH?**

ETSUYA: H-hold on! I didn't do anything like that!

YUJIRO: …

[Why does Yujiro look so troubled..? We've caught the murderer… and it was surprisingly easy too.]

DAWN: It's also clear how you got the weapons.

ETSUYA: Huh?

DAWN: I saw someone in a trench coat enter the restaurant that day.

DAWN: Is it not possible that you were that person?

ETSUYA: Tch!

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: FUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKKK OOOOOOOFFFFFFFFF!

YUJIRO: …Alright then.

YUJIRO: I suppose… it's settled?

RUMIKO: …Yes.

RUMIKO: Etsuya was the murderer of Junichi Goto!

YUJIRO: …

ETSUYA: N-no! Stop it!

TAIKAN: …But…

TAIKAN: Is he really?

RUMIKO: Huh?

TAIKAN: I agree… everything is pointing to him now.

TAIKAN: But there's some reason why I don't think it's possible that Etsuya had killed Junichi.

RUMIKO: Why?

YUJIRO: …Yeah. I've had that suspicion too.

[What are they talking about?! It's too clear that Etsuya was the killer!]

ETSUYA: I didn't kill Junichi Goto!

HIDEYOSHI: So the culprit is showing its true bloom… my, what a risky attempt to claw up from defeat.

ETSUYA: Shut up, you fucking nerd!

YUJIRO: …If you guys don't mind, I'd like to discuss this a little more.

YUJIRO: I don't want to make the wrong mistake for no reason.

ETSUYA: Y-yeah! Let's talk more!

[But what is there to talk about..? There's… no way that he isn't the killer. Right?]

_From this point on, there is a new possibility. While terms may not be contradictory, they may be instead correct! These terms that may be corrected will be __**bolded and italicized**__ at the same time. If a term is in fact correct, it will be surrounded by equal marks like a regular contradictory term. Let's see how it plays out…_

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE THREE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

…

_Usable Ammunition: _

- Junichi's Head Injury

- Metal Baseball Bat

- Kneepads

- Pole

- Picture of a Skateboard

…

ETSUYA: I didn't kill Junichi Goto! Stop **accusing me!**

DAWN: All the **evidence points to you.**

ARE: There are more than enough ways to **prove you as the killer.**

ETSUYA: B-but… I didn't!

TAIKAN: …Is it really true though? Did Etsuya kill Junichi?

ETSUYA: N-no! _**Of course not!**_

SHINA: _**Yahoo! ==He bludgeoned Junichi with that baseball bat!==**_

NANAO: _**Maybe he killed Junichi using those knives!**_

MITSUO: You mean like the **Monokuma File** actually says?! Hmm? **THAT WAS FUCKING OBVIOUS!**

SHINA: _**Maybe Monokuma lied!**_

TATSUYA: I-I doubt he would do that…

…

RUMIKO: I concur!

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: …Hmm… maybe… Taikan is right. Maybe Etsuya didn't kill Junichi.

ETSUYA: H-ha! See?!

ETSUYA: Wait! I don't want any approval from you!

DAWN: What might make this the case?

RUMIKO: I think I see what Yujiro was saying about Etsuya being involved in the case.

RUMIKO: He didn't mean Etsuya was the culprit, but was in one way or another involved in this case.

LUCY: H-hurry up and explain what you mean!

LUCY: Did or did Etsuya not..?

RUMIKO: No. I don't think he did.

ETSUYA: …Tch!

RUMIKO: I think Shina was right, about what Etsuya did to Junichi.

SHINA: Ooh?! I was right?

SHINA: Waha! Shina Wakabayashi is on FIRE!

SHINA: Eh… what was I right about?

GIICHI: Sigh. What kind of IQ test should I give you?

TERUYO: Ha. You aren't saying anything.

GIICHI: Neither are you.

TERUYO: Anyways… are you saying that Junichi was hit by a baseball bat?

HIDEYOSHI: My, my! An all-star baseball bat had bludgeoned poor Junichi Goto in the noggin?

HIDEYOSHI: What a terrible crime!

SHINA: Oh! So that's what I was right about!

SHINA: Mmhmm! Junichi was definitely hit in the head with that baseball bat thing!

ETSUYA: What are you saying..?

ETSUYA: That… I hit Junichi in the head?

ETSUYA: Heh.. heh… HOW FUCKING FUNNY!

RUMIKO: It's not funny. It's exactly what I'm saying.

RUMIKO: Etsuya had _tried_ murder Junichi, but he definitely failed!

ETSUYA: Don't fucking mess with me! I didn't do anything like that!

TERUYO: What's the point of fighting now? You aren't the culprit anymore.

ETSUYA: I don't want to be seen as a fucking murderer, though!

ETSUYA: Okay, I admit it! I erased the name and the journal entry! But I didn't attack Junichi at all!

DAWN: Care to explain your side of the story then?

ETSUYA: Gladly!

ETSUYA: I was worried about Junichi not coming to the meeting.

ETSUYA: I knocked the door on his room, and he didn't expect anything at all.

ETSUYA: So then when I opened the door, I saw him dead already!

TAIKAN: Are you saying… Junichi wrote that note to _frame you?!_

RUMIKO: He wouldn't do something like that! He wouldn't frame anyone!

ETSUYA: But that's exactly what happened!

ETSUYA: Care to prove me wrong, again, Rumiko?!

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: So you erased his name from the message and the journal just to divert suspicion?

ETSUYA: Y-yeah!

MIYOKO: If that was the case…

MIYOKO: …why did you not inform any of us about the murder?!

ETSUYA: I-I was nervous, as all! Why would I tell you guys that?!

MITSUO: Hmm… I don't know…

MITSUO: To **find the fucking body, perhaps?!**

[…There's something that doesn't match up with Etsuya's story… and what I know. I wonder… if there's something that I can go off of.]

_You are about to experience an Epiphany Anagram. These phases are not very substantial and are only used to progress the conversation. The numerous letters will be put together to create one word that will prove something else. Let's see how this unfolds…_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Flashing Anagram_

**==PHASE FOUR==**

_Epiphany Anagram!_

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/

…

…

…_**S**_

**S**/_/_/_/_/_/_/

…

…

…_**T**_

**S/T/**_/_/_/_/_/

…

…

…_**E**_

**S/T/**_/_/_/_/**E/**

…

…

…_**R**_

**S/T/_/R/_/_/E/**

…

…

…_**O**_

**S/T/O/R_/_/E/**

…

…

…_**A**_

**S/T/O/R/A/_/E**

…

…

…_**G**_

**S/T/O/R/A/G/E**

**STORAGE  
**

RUMIKO: That's it!

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: That's right… there was a certain something in the storage room of the antique store that could easily prove that Etsuya was involved with this murder!

ETSUYA: H-huh?! The storage room?!

ETSUYA: L-like hell! I've never been in that room before!

RUMIKO: …

[No. It's obvious that he was in there before.]

**==Presenting Evidence #14: Kneepads ==**

RUMIKO: No, you were definitely in that room before, weren't you?

ETSUYA: Of course not! Where did you even get that idea so fast?!

RUMIKO: Nanao, you know too, don't you? What you and I found that day?

…

_NANAO: Hmm? What are these?_

_RUMIKO: Hmm?_

_DAWN: It looks like Nanao is further in the back._

_TAIKAN: Did she find something?_

_NANAO: I found these behind the box._

_RUMIKO: Kneepads?_

…

NANAO: Oh, yeah! I found those in the antique store! It was behind a box.

DAWN: Lots of boxes were toppled over, weren't they?

NANAO: Hmm, yeah… But what do the kneepads have to do with anything?

RUMIKO: Isn't it obvious? First off, why would kneepads even be in an antique store?

SHINA: Maybe they were selling the kneepads of famous skateboarder: Zan Himmerzammenschnieder!

ETSUYA: I-I know for a fact that he doesn't exist..!

ETSUYA: Hey! Rumiko! Where are you going with this?

RUMIKO: Think. Why would there be kneepads in an antique store?

RUMIKO: Isn't that just a little bit odd? I mean, it's an antique store. There's no reason for kneepads to be in an antique store, is there?

ARE: Perhaps it belonged to someone else before the store was taken over by Monokuma?

RUMIKO: Maybe… but it seems likely that the kneepads belonged to Etsuya.

DAWN: Hmm… Etsuya… you aren't wearing any kneepads, are you?

ETSUYA: H-huh?

DAWN: My suspicions are confirmed. He is in fact not wearing any kneepads.

ETSUYA: S-so? What does that have to do with anything..?!

RUMIKO: If you're not wearing kneepads… where are they?

ETSUYA: G-go fucking die! I didn't lose them in the antique store!

[…There's a logical reason why you _did_ lose them there. That is…]

== Because I saw you go in there.

== Because there was a baseball bat in there.

== **Because of the toppled boxes.**

RUMIKO: That's it!

RUMIKO: The toppled boxes should be sufficient proof that the kneepads belonged to Etsuya.

RUMIKO: And while Etsuya went into the store…

RUMIKO: He got a metal baseball bat.

DAWN: It was true that the baseball bat was rather old.

RUMIKO: Yes. So it's not difficult to think that the bat came from the antique store, right?

ETSUYA: W-what do a pair of toppled boxes have to do with anything?!

TAIKAN: …I think I see where you're going with this.

ETSUYA: Well I don't!

ETSUYA: What the hell?! What the hell does that have to do with anything at all?!

ETSUYA: Heh heh… I'm lost… I'm fucking lost, man!

[There's **that piece of evidence** that proves that Etsuya lost his kneepads in the antique store.]

HIDEYOSHI: Ah… so the dawn of a villain is coming to its close.

ETSUYA: H-huh?

YUJIRO: Rumiko? You found something like that?

RUMIKO: Y-yeah.

[I have to shove it up Etsuya's face. Otherwise, this will never end.]

* * *

_Soundtrack: HEAT UP! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE FIVE==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

…

_Usable Ammunition:_

- Amount of Blood

- Pole

- Kneepads

- Dawn's Testimony

- Missing Knives

…

YUJIRO: Are you saying that...

YUJIRO: …there's a reason why…

YUJIRO: **…Etsuya went into the storage room?**

ETSUYA: Of course there's not!..

ETSUYA: …because there's no proof…

ETSUYA: **==…that I even went in there!==**

RUMIKO: You've got that wrong!

…

_Ammunition used: Pole_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: No! There's a clear piece of evidence that you did go into the storage room!

ETSUYA: H-Huh?!

RUMIKO: Don't you realize it, Etsuya? There was a pole in the storage room!

NANAO: Hmm… weren't the kneepads **attached **to the pole?

ETSUYA: So what?!

RUMIKO: Now, connect the dots. The boxes were toppled over… and the pole had your kneepads attached to them.

RUMIKO: Why do you think that is?

LUCY: Are you saying that Etsuya… **tripped?**

ETSUYA: T-that's ridiculous!

GIICHI: One can easily trip at the wrong time… and then an unfortunate resolution will come afterwards.

ETSUYA: N-nggh!

ETSUYA: I-I don't even follow you anymore!

ETSUYA: Where are you going with all of this?!

RUMIKO: …

[I have been talking a lot. I don't even really follow myself… I need to collect my thoughts again. Alright… so what happened was…]

_Right now, you're going to read a Dive Drive. Rumiko will have to ask questions to herself to fit pieces of a puzzle together. In this case, what does it mean? Why does Etsuya going into the storage room of the antique store hold significance? Shall we figure it out together? Let's see what's about to unfold…_

* * *

_Soundtrack: DIVE DRIVE_

**==PHASE SIX==**

_Dive Drive!_

…

…

**QUESTION #1: What proof is there that Etsuya went into the storage room?**

A: The Kneepads … … … B: The Pole … … … C: **BOTH the Kneepads and Pole**

…

…

**QUESTION #2: Why did Etsuya's kneepads get attached to the pole?**

A: He attached it himself… … ... **B: Etsuya tripped over, and it got caught somehow** … … … C: Etsuya likes pole dancing.

**QUESTION #3: Why would Etsuya go into the storage room?**

A: **To retrieve something … … … **B: To look at neat artifacts … … … C: To hide after finding Junichi dead.

**QUESTION #4: What did Etsuya go to retrieve?**

A: A knife … … … B: A cool item … … … C: **The baseball bat**

RUMIKO: I've connected the dots!

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: Right… where I'm going with this?

RUMIKO: You went to the storage room to retrieve the baseball bat.

RUMIKO: When you went there, you tripped, and toppled over some boxes, as well as getting your kneepads caught on the pole somehow.

ETSUYA: H-hold on! That doesn't even sound possible!

TERUYO: Strange things like that happened sometimes.

TERUYO: For instance, once, I got something stuck in my –

RUMIKO: Moving on…

RUMIKO: After getting the kneepads stuck to the pole…

RUMIKO: You left them there, got the baseball bat, and returned to Junichi's room, am I correct?

ETSUYA: N…nngh!

YUJIRO: Looks like you hit the nail on the head.

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: …Alright.

ETSUYA: Ha… Guess the jig is up, huh?

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

ETSUYA: Hahaha….HAHAHAHA…

ETSUYA: You caught me, Rumiko!

ETSUYA: You fucking caught me, didn't you..?

ETSUYA: Yeah…

ETSUYA: I thought…

ETSUYA: When I hit him in the head…

ETSUYA: I was sure he was dead.

RUMIKO: …You… you tried to kill Junichi… you fucker.

ETSUYA: Heh… but I'm sorry to ruin your parade.

ETSUYA: I can't be the murderer, can I?

RUMIKO: …Yeah.

[The reason for that..?]

**== Presenting Ammunition #1: Monokuma File #1 ==**

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: I mean… Junichi died by slits to the wrist, didn't he?

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: But to this point… I honestly thought I was the culprit.

RUMIKO: You didn't read the Monokuma File?

ETSUYA: That was a mistake made by me… cause of course I didn't think I'd actually need to, you know?

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: …So, we solved that mystery.

YUJIRO: The baseball bat was there… that was obviously because of Etsuya.

TAIKAN: Etsuya hit Junichi over the head with the baseball bat, and ran away thinking that he was successful in it?

MIYOKO: …So it seems.

YUJIRO: …Etsuya, seeing as you have no more reason to lie, I want to ask you one question.

ETSUYA: Yeah?

YUJIRO: …

_Soundtrack: Class Trial TURBULENT EDITION_

YUJIRO: Did you really touch those dying messages at all?

ETSUYA: H-huh?

ETSUYA: What kind of question is that? Does that relate to anything at all?

YUJIRO: …It might. I'm… a little suspicious of something.

YUJIRO: But I can only confirm this… if it happens that you **didn't** tamper with the messages.

RUMIKO: Huh?!

ETSUYA: …Alright… I guess I could be honest.

ETSUYA: Yeah. I touched them. I erased one of the pages and then tried to get rid of the first dying message.

YUJIRO: …I see…

YUJIRO: Then never mind.

RUMIKO: What?

YUJIRO: No, I was thinking that if the messages were promptly erased and the journal page was erased too, then someone might be trying to **frame Etsuya** for the murder.

LUCY: Frame him?!

TAIKAN: Though it doesn't _not_ make sense. Remember how Etsuya kept bullying Junichi? That's a good enough reason to believe why Etsuya would kill.

ETSUYA: …

LUCY: But, if someone were to frame Etsuya… then was it just a coincidence that Etsuya attacked Junichi before?

YUJIRO: …Yeah. It does seem sort of coincidental, doesn't it?

YUJIRO: …Hmm…

RUMIKO: Are you thinking about anything?

YUJIRO: …I think, we should probably talk about some other things, just a little bit more, right Rumiko?

RUMIKO: Hmm? Me?

YUJIRO: Yeah. I have a theory, but I want to prove some other things before we get into this.

RUMIKO: Alright… What should we talk about then?

YUJIRO: First off, there's still a mystery that we still haven't yet solved.

RUMIKO: Huh?

[A mystery that we didn't solve yet?]

== Global warming

== Junichi's body

== **The knives**

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: You mean we didn't find out anything about the knives?

DAWN: I believe if Junichi just went to the antique store for a baseball bat, then the man in the trench coat could not have been Etsuya.

YUJIRO: Yes. That's exactly right.

HIDEYOSHI: E-err… what does this all mean, exactly?

YUJIRO: If we don't find out who got the knives, we obviously can't figure out who the murderer was, can we?

ARE: The murderer of Junichi Goto was the person who went to get the knives?

YUJIRO: Sounds about right, right?

TAIKAN: Is it possible that it wasn't, though?

YUJIRO: Hmm?

TAIKAN: I mean, don't you remember?

TAIKAN: At the crime scene, there were **two knives** from **two different places.**

YUJIRO: …You're right.

RUMIKO: So basically, even if they did get the kitchen knife, we can't rule them as the murderer completely either, can we?

GIICHI: What a confusing moment.

MITSUO: Ugh! I can't think of anything anymore!

MITSUO: I need brain food! Anyone got a carrot?

SHINA: Eww! Carrots are _not_ good!

YUJIRO: Don't forget, there's one more strange thing about this case.

RUMIKO: Another one?

[What could that be..?]

**==Presenting Ammunition #18: Junichi's Body Location ==**

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: Yeah… Junichi's body placement was really weird, wasn't it?

MIYOKO: What do you mean?

MIYOKO: Why would that be strange?

[The reason that all this was weird… it's pretty obvious why.]

* * *

_Soundtrack: DIVE DRIVE_

**==PHASE SEVEN==**

_Dive Drive!_

**QUESTION #1: Where was the metal baseball bat found?**

A: Near the desk… … …B: **Beside Junichi's bed**… … …C: Outside of Junichi's room.

**QUESTION #2: Where was Junichi's body found?**

A: **Near the desk**… … …B: Beside Junichi's bed… … …C: Outside of Junichi's room.

**QUESTION #3: What position was Junichi in?**

A: He was standing; pinned to the wall… … …B: He was lying down… … …C: He was sitting

RUMIKO: I've connected the dots!

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial DAWN EDITION Volume Two_

RUMIKO: It's weird, that Junichi was found on his desk, isn't it?

RUMIKO: Sitting down too.

ETSUYA: What's so weird about that?

RUMIKO: You attacked him at the bed, right?

RUMIKO: Meaning if he was knocked out the whole time, he should've been killed near the bed.

GIICHI: Why would the culprit not move the body?

RUMIKO: I mean, what's the point of doing that in the first place?

RUMIKO: It creates more evidence to be found, too. If the body was found next to Junichi's bed, there's a better chance Etsuya would have been convicted.

DAWN: Yet we deemed that impossible, did we not?

RUMIKO: Yeah…

YUJIRO: So let's think of it like this.

YUJIRO: Isn't it just likely that…

YUJIRO: …Junichi woke up before all this happened, and moved positions?

RUMIKO: Yeah… yeah, it does.

YUJIRO: Meaning that Junichi had to be in his room the whole time.

RUMIKO: …Yeah…

RUMIKO: …It does, doesn't it?

NANAO: So what if he was in his room the whole time?

SHINA: …Hmm…. Hmmmhmmmhmmm….

RUMIKO: ...

[I think I have a good sense of what Yujiro was talking about. If Junichi woke up before Etsuya had attacked him later… then someone could have attacked him in a place other than his room?]

YUJIRO: …

[Or maybe it was in his room, and Junichi was trying to recover?]

YUJIRO: …Hmm...

[How could two people attack Junichi? It… it's despicable…]

YUJIRO: …Hmm…

ETSUYA: Wait, a minute, I just realized something…

YUJIRO: What is it?

ETSUYA: I have a good idea of who the killer could be!

NANAO: Is it really good? Or is it just good in your opinion?

SHINA: How about it?!

ETSUYA: There's someone without an alibi during this whole time, isn't there?

YUJIRO: An alibi? Do you mean…

ETSUYA: Ha! I'm fucking genius, aren't I?

_Soundtrack: New World Order_

ETSUYA: Rumiko! It's you!

RUMIKO: Huh?

ETSUYA: You were in your "room" the whole time, right?

ETSUYA: So you're the killer! You killed Junichi Goto!

RUMIKO: W-what?!

[I killed Junichi Goto?! Why would I do that?! What the hell?!]

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Alright! This is a good stopping point for now!

RUMIKO: Huh?

MONOKUMA: Let's all take a nice five minute break for refreshments and to recollect our thoughts!

TAIKAN: Why would we do that?

MONOKUMA: Because! They always do that kind of thing in courtrooms.

MONOKUMA: …Let's enjoy our recess, you guys!

MONOKUMA: And before we go, let's consider what we talked about!

MONOKUMA: Who got the knife from the two places?

MONOKUMA: Who infiltrated Junichi, and where?

MONOKUMA: And is Rumiko the killer?

RUMIKO: I… am not!

MONOKUMA: Upupupu! I'd hate to end this so abruptly, but it's such a good place to stop it in terms of plot, isn't it?

MONOKUMA: Nyahahaha!

_**COURT IS NOW SUSPENDED**_

_**Continued in Class Trial: Part Two**_

**(AN: Hope you liked this class trial and the new elements I put into it. I loved both new gamemodes added in SDR2 so I found a way to incorporate it into here. Though I'm not a fan of how I used Dive Drive. Whatever though, leave a review like always, and see you next time!)**


	8. Chapter One: Class Trial II

**(AN: Yawn. I should be studying for a test but whatevs :p**

**Ode30: Surprised you caught that small detail, lol. I hate cliffhangers too but they're so fun to make, lol. Thanks for the review!**

**FuyuhikoKuzuryuu: Thanks for the review! I try to spice up these class trials, lol.**

**MonokumaSensei: Etsuya really was that obvious? Guess so, lol. Thanks for the review!)**

* * *

_Soundtrack: Welcome to DANGAN Island_

USAMI: My heart is pounding wight now!

USAMI: Poor Etsuya has been accused of murder, but he has been proven innocent!

USAMI: Oh… how my heart aches for how the others will tweat him after the twial…

USAMI: But we must not give up hope!

USAMI: What we must do right now, is find out who weally killed Junichi!

USAMI: Remember to read in good light! Darkness will only hurt your eyes!

* * *

**COURT IS NOW REOPENED!**

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

RUMIKO: …Alright. So we now that Etsuya didn't do it now.

YUJIRO: Yeah… but if it wasn't Etsuya…

YUJIRO: Hmm…

YUJIRO: Ha, never mind that thought, actually. It's not very likely.

GIICHI: What is it?

HIDEYOSHI: If you have a hankering of the truth, let it be shed to light, my friend!

TAIKAN: The hell does that mean?

RUMIKO: But Yujiro… if you are able to make an accusation, why do you not speak it?

YUJIRO: …I… want to explore other options, as all.

[Other options? What other options are there?]

YUJIRO: Either way, we should talk about the task at hand right now.

ARE: Yes. I believe Monokuma told us that there was a mystery within who got the knives.

ARE: If I am not mistaken, it was Dawn who told us all that she saw someone enter the store.

DAWN: That is correct. I was in the food court, and I saw someone in a trench coat enter the food stand.

DAWN: I left before I could see whoever entered. However, I assume that is when they took the knives.

RUMIKO: I explored later with Dawn. The food stand that she saw the person enter, that is.

RUMIKO: There were two missing knives there when we explored it, meaning that Dawn probably wasn't wrong.

DAWN: Of course I'm not wrong. I am more than 70% sure that the person who entered the food stand got the knife.

LUCY: More than 70%? Can't be a little more specific than that..?

MITSUO: Huh? 70%? I learned about that in math class the other day..!

TATSUYA: W-what other day?! The other day, we were trapped in this mall…

MITSUO: Oh, riiiggghhht!

MITSUO: You ruined my happy moment now! Waaaah!

TATSUYA: A-a-a-a-ah! I'm sorry!

YUJIRO: Moving back to the topic at hand…

YUJIRO: Dawn, you _are_ positive that someone entered the food stand, right?

DAWN: Yes. I am one hundred percent certain.

HIDEYOSHI: 100%... A fine round number resembling no doubt for false chance.

SHINA: Hoo! When will you start making sense?

MITSUO: He can't make sense! **He's a fucking nerd… tee.**

SHINA: Ooh! Looks like Mitsuo's "bad" personality is back on!

MITSUO: Huh? What's my bad personality?

NANAO: You know, don't you? That personality when you start insulting everyone, and stuff.

MITSUO: …Oh! That one!

MITSUO: Is that a bad one though?

GIICHI: I would say it's pretty bad.

GIICHI: Though I do tend to drift off and ignore others…

TERUYO: Still… Mitsuo… your aggressive personality…

TERUYO: It's… **interesting.**

MIYOKO: Are you implying that you'd like to… "get together" with him?

TERUYO: …

TAIKAN: Woah! And a person of that size, too!

YUJIRO: …Ahem. I think we should all get back to solving this murder.

MONOKUMA: Let's not get off topic now!

MEOWYKINS: Y'all listen to the bear!

MONOMI: I am so confused!

ETSUYA: Still… I don't think I'll be much help.

ETSUYA: I tried to kill Junichi, but I still didn't see anyone else attack him.

ETSUYA: That must mean Rumiko did it, right?

RUMIKO: I-I already told you… I didn't do it!

ETSUYA: You were the only one without a fucking alibi!

ETUSYA: You must have finished off that piece of shit for me, huh?

RUMIKO: Y-you… You can still call him that after you tried to kill him?

ETSUYA: …

MIYOKO: Truly no honor there.

MIYOKO: However, we are still discussing the retrieval of the knives.

ARE: It is too soon to point fingers at other people.

HIDEYOSHI: Let us conform to the point at hand! Who, oh who, got the knives from the kitchen of such a horrible eatery?

NANAO: You don't like burgers?

SHINA: Huh?! Not liking burgers is like hating to breathe in air!

HIDEYOSHI: W-well… I'm actually…

SHINA: Ooh! I know what you are!

SHINA: We got a vegan in here everyone! Yahoo! A vegan!

YUJIRO: Sigh… We're still straying off the main point…

ETSUYA: That's right. The main point is, is that Rumiko killed Junichi!

YUJIRO: Is it not clear yet? That accusation is too off base for now.

NANAO: Hmm… who could've gotten the knives from the restaurant…?

ETSUYA: …It could have been Dawn.

DAWN: Why me?

ETSUYA: You were the only one who saw someone enter the restaurant…

ETSUYA: If you were really there, why couldn't it have been you?

DAWN: I do not tell lies. I saw someone enter the restaurant.

ETSUYA: Ha! Would've helped to know who though!

TAIKAN: Can you tell us… anything else?

DAWN: What do you mean?

TAIKAN: There are people of different sizes here, I mean. Obviously… Etsuya is real skinny…

ETSUYA: Huh?! The fuck are you saying?

TAIKAN: And Yujiro is tall…

YUJIRO: Hee, that I am..!

TAIKAN: Shina has that funky hair…

SHINA: Woo! I like funk!

TAIKAN: I mean, if you could tell us a physical description of the person who went in the restaurant…

TAIKAN: Things will go along a lot easier, right?

NANAO: Hmm? How about it, Dawn? Remember anything?

LUCY: The lives of all of us are in your hands!

DAWN: …

DAWN: I'm sorry. I do not remember.

MITSUO: Huh?! You're an esper, and you forgot one of things that could've changed this trial the most?

MITSUO: Wow… so even psychics can be dumb…

ETSUYA: See? She's clearly lying!

ETSUYA: How can she not remember as something blatantly obvious as the size of someone?

ETSUYA: It had to have been **her** that got the knife!

RUMIKO: ...There's one thing I want to know more than **who** actually got the knife.

ARE: Something other than that? Like what?

ARE: There's hardly anything other worth knowing about.

RUMIKO: …No.

RUMIKO: There's something alright.

[That something is…]

== Who brought the knives to Junichi's room

== Who took the knives

== **Why the killer swapped the knives ==**

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: I have a question about the antique knife that was swapped instead of the Chef's Knife we found in the storage room.

YUJIRO: I have to agree… no one in the right mind would switch the two knives anyways.

YUJIRO: So let's think about it for a second.

HIDEYOSHI: The order of events! We shall proceed with them!

YUJIRO: What we think is that whoever killed Junichi went to the kitchen…

YUJIRO: After that, they got two knives from there.

DAWN: Yes, that would explain the second missing knife.

YUJIRO: But that's confusing too!

YUJIRO: One would only need **one** knife to kill. Why take two in the first place?

TAIKAN: Not to mention the culprit switching one of the knives for one in the antique store.

YUJIRO: …It doesn't match up.

MIYOKO: Perhaps the killer wanted to create a red herring?

YUJIRO: I'm sorry, but that's not possible.

MIYOKO: Why not?

YUJIRO: I didn't really think this was an important fact…

YUJIRO: But I'll tell it to you now that is came up.

YUJIRO: Junichi was killed by **two** slashes to the wrist.

LUCY: Two?

GIICHI: Who would slash Junichi's wrists twice though..?

MITSUO: T-there's a crazy person out there! Scaaarryy!

TATSUYA: M-maybe the killer wanted to kill him instantaneously..?

ETSUYA: Wait… how do you even know that?

YUJIRO: I'm a survivalist, so I have experience in the medical field.

YUJIRO: Junichi did not die after the first slash. I know that for a fact.

RUMIKO: …But, even saying that, it doesn't make sense for the killer to take two knives.

MIYOKO: One would need to slash someone, but could do it with the same knife.

MIYOKO: Why would the culprit have taken two?

DAWN: Excuse me, but I'd like to interrupt this conversation for a second to talk about something else.

YUJIRO: Something else?

DAWN: We have two mysteries that we must solve right now.

DAWN: First, the secret about who took the knives, and why they took them.

DAWN: Second, it's about whom actually killed Junichi.

ETSUYA: Right now, the only person on the suspect list…

ETSUYA: Is **you**, Rumiko!

RUMIKO: H-hold on..! Like I said –

YUJIRO: She couldn't have killed Junichi.

ETSUYA: Huh? Why not?

[…Yujiro?]

YUJIRO: I…

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

YUJIRO: I… know human nature well.

ETSUYA: Human nature..?

YUJIRO: We don't have any concrete proof. That is true.

YUJIRO: But why would Rumiko kill Junichi?

RUMIKO: Y-Yujiro?

[He's suddenly gotten even more serious than before…]

YUJIRO: Rumiko and Junichi were getting closer with each other…

YUJIRO: …Even Rumiko didn't really have a friend.

YUJIRO: …No one… would kill their first friend…

RUMIKO: …

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: Ha. That crap about human nature is total bullshit most of the time.

ETSUYA: Why would anyone care about Junichi..?

RUMIKO: …Etsuya… just, stop talking about him like that..! For two seconds!

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Even if Rumiko was the culprit, I have to give her props, then!

YUJIRO: She definitely could've gone into Hope's Peak as a Super Highschool Level Actress!

YUJIRO: Yet, she is a Survivor. Not an Actress.

ETSUYA: …I still don't buy it.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Returning to the mystery at hand…

YUJIRO: What if we look at this from another angle?

RUMIKO: Like?

YUJIRO: Let's see…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

YUJIRO: I believe the position Junichi's body was found in could be important.

TAIKAN: He was sitting up, wasn't he? Save for his slouched body when he was killed.

YUJIRO: Yes. It's clear to see that before he was killed, he was sitting up.

MIYOKO: Does that have any significance to this case?

YUJIRO: …I believe it might.

YUJIRO: If we go off on that theory that I had earlier, it might.

YUJIRO: …But I still don't want to believe it.

[…This theory Yujiro has… What is it? Why does he keep astray from it so much?]

* * *

_Soundtrack: BREAK! 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE SEVEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

...

Usable Ammunition:

- Junichi's Head Injury

- Junichi's First Dying Message

- Junichi's Body Location

- Monokuma File #1

- Junichi's Position

…

YUJIRO: Does Junichi's body position have anything relevant to this case..?

YUJIRO: That's the question.

ARE: You say you think it does…

ARE: _**But I disagree. It probably doesn't.**_

YUJIRO: Why do you say that?

MITSUO: I agree with Are, though!

MITSUO: **I mean… he was slashed with knives right?**

YUJIRO: So what?

MITSUO: Teehee! Stupid. He definitely wasn't!

SHINA: Hmm, but he was attacked from behind, wasn't he?

SHINA: _**==He most definitely went to sit down!==**_

RUMIKO: I concur!

_Ammunition used: Junichi's Head Injury_

* * *

_**BREAK!**_

…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: …Yeah… he definitely went to sit down after he was attacked by Etsuya.

RUMIKO: I think that's the reason why Junichi's body position is so important to this case.

ARE: Why is that?

RUMIKO: If you think about it, him going to sit down narrows down a few options.

TAIKAN: He couldn't have been killed, and then moved.

TAIKAN: Though of course, the blood on the table and the lack of blood beside the bed already proved that…

TATSUYA: H-he was attacked by his bed, right?

RUMIKO: Yeah. The baseball bat was found there.

ETSUYA: Plus, there's no point of me lying, so yeah. I attacked him by the bed.

YUJIRO: It also narrows down the time frame a little bit, if you think even further.

ARE: The time frame?

YUJIRO: He couldn't have been out for more than half an hour.

YUJIRO: He'd have to go sit down on his desk, and recover.

YUJIRO: That would mean someone else would have come in and slashed his wrists.

YUJIRO: It had to have been just a little after Junichi woke up.

ARE: Still, that doesn't tell us much.

HIDEYOSHI: However, we've solved a small mystery, we did…

RUMIKO: But I think the fact that he did go to sit down after he was attacked _is _important.

[It's important because…]

== **The position Junichi would have been attacked in is unrealistic.**

== Junichi going to sit down after getting attacked is unrealistic.

== No one could have attacked him with the knives.

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: Think about it! If Junichi were to sit down…

RUMIKO: Then for the killer to have **slashed his wrists,** he would've needed to twist is arm!

ARE: T-that's true..!

ARE: The culprit surely did not twist his arm with Junichi willingly allowing it to go by!

MIYOKO: So are you suggesting a struggle took place..?

RUMIKO: …It's the only possible explanation, isn't it?

RUMIKO: Junichi couldn't have been attacked from behind.

RUMIKO: That's because his arms **weren't in a position from where he could be attacked.**

NANAO: What if he was twisting his arm?

MITSUO: Hmm? Why would he do that, though?

NANAO: …I guess he wouldn't, would he?

TAIKAN: N-nice observation, Rumiko…

YUJIRO: I do believe it is important to note that Junichi's arms were twisted when the body was discovered.

RUMIKO: …It has to be true.

RUMIKO: Junichi fought with someone…

RUMIKO: He wasn't sitting down beforehand!

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Odd Edition_

HIDEYOSHI: **I IMPLORE YOU TO RECONSIDER!**

* * *

HIDEYOSHI: Haha! Rumiko, you have made a perfectly coherent observation!

HIDEYOSHI: I praise you for noticing such a small detail as that…

HIDEYOSHI: However, I cannot allow myself to stand idly by while you run your mouth like that!

RUMIKO: …Are you saying he _was_ attacked from behind?

HIDEYOSHI: May we consider this option?

HIDEYOSHI: He was stabbed through his turned arm, therefore, making the same effects as a slashed wrist!

HIDEYOSHI: Ha! My reasoning is impeccable!

RUMIKO: …

[This guy is not as smart as he seems. But I guess I should prove him wrong anyways.]

* * *

_Soundtrack: CROSS SWORD_

**==PHASE EIGHT==**

_Cross Swords Battle!_

…

Usable Blades:

- Monokuma File #1

- Junichi's Body Location

- Shina's Testimony

- Pole

- Junichi's First Dying Message

…

HIDEYOSHI: Haha! It is obvious…=/=…that Junichi was killed from behind!

HIDEYOSHI: A struggle…=/=…could not have taken place!

HIDEYOSHI: You see… please…=/=…twist your memory back to earlier before!

HIDEYOSHI: There was an…=/=…abnormal amount of blood on the desk, right?

HIDEYOSHI: So the blood would…=/=…have been elsewhere!

…_**DEVELOPMENT!**_

Cross Swords!

RUMIKO: Isn't it obvious that Junichi couldn't have been attacked from behind?

RUMIKO: There's no chance for it.

HIDEYOSHI: No, no, no!...=/=…You are mistaken!

HIDEYOSHI: **==He was definitely stabbed through the wrists!==**

HIDEYOSHI: The abnormal…=/=…**amount of blood** proves my theory impeccably!

HIDEYOSHI: You cannot…=/=…fight my logic!

RUMIKO: I'll cut that claim to pieces!

_Sword Used: Monokuma File #1_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial FUTURE PART_

RUMIKO: …You do bring up a good point, Hideyoshi. But, it's impossible that Junichi was attacked from behind.

HIDEYOSHI: And why would that be?

RUMIKO: Take a look again at the Monokuma File.

YUJIRO: It states that Junichi was definitely slashed through the wrists, doesn't it?

HIDEYOSHI: C-couldn't that mean he was stabbed?

MONOKUMA: Do you not know the difference between slashing and stabbing?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu, would you like me to demonstrate?

HIDEYOSHI: N-no! That will not be required, thank you!

HIDEYOSHI: But he wasn't attacked from behind… how did he get killed at all?

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: …I'm sorry.

YUJIRO: I've been holding back too much.

RUMIKO: What do you mean?

YUJIRO: …There's one possible way…

_Soundtrack: Class Trial TURBULENT EDITION – Volume Two_

YUJIRO: There's a possible way that Junichi was killed sitting upright!

RUMIKO: H-huh?

ETSUYA: I thought we already established that there was a struggle..?

YUJIRO: While Hideyoshi was partly wrong, he was also partly right.

YUJIRO: If we bring our attention to the huge amount of blood…

YUJIRO: …all of this blood was on top of the table.

YUJIRO: In fact, there was very little blood elsewhere, besides the bed.

ETSUYA: But that blood came from me, didn't it?

YUJIRO: …So we were wrong.

TAIKAN: There couldn't have been a struggle…

DAWN: There also was no damage done to the room, was there?

YUJIRO: Nothing off about the bed. Nothing broken.

YUJIRO: We were foolish to think that Junichi was in a struggle in the first place!

RUMIKO: B-but… if he wasn't in a struggle…

TATSUYA: Then what killed him?!

TATSUYA: It couldn't have been..!

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Before we talk about this, I'm going to discuss about who got the knives.

RUMIKO: Who got the knives?

YUJIRO: Rumiko, you were in your room the whole time, weren't you?

RUMIKO: Yeah… I didn't see anyone because I was in my room.

YUJIRO: So that means there's one other person who could have gotten the knives.

RUMIKO: One other person?

YUJIRO: If we think rationally about the facts… Dawn saw someone enter the restaurant.

[I think… I know who he's talking about.]

== Tatsuya

== Dawn

== **Junichi**

RUMIKO: This is it!

RUMIKO: …You mean to say…

RUMIKO: That Junichi got the knives?!

TATSUYA: Huh?!

SHINA: Ubaubau…! Why would he do that..?

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Why would he get the knives? That's a good question.

DAWN: …Now that I think about it…

DAWN: When I was looking at that person with the trench coat…

DAWN: It was someone with a build similar to Junichi's.

GIICHI: But why would Junichi have gotten the knives himself..?

GIICHI: Could it be because…

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: I don't even want to think about it this way.

RUMIKO: But I think I know what Yujiro is referring to.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Then why don't you tell them?

RUMIKO: M-me?

YUJIRO: …I'm sorry.

YUJIRO: …I can't bring myself to tell them.

RUMIKO: What makes you think I can?!

YUJIRO: …It's in my personal nature. I'd hate to think about… this outcome.

YUJIRO: …We were all supposed to be friends.

YUJIRO: **My very firsts…**

RUMIKO: ..!

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: Alright. I'll do it…

YUJIRO: …I'm sorry…

RUMIKO: …

[Why Junichi got the knives?]

* * *

_Soundtrack: Flashing Anagram_

**==PHASE NINE==**

_Epiphany Anagram!_

**_/_/_/_/_/_/_/**

…

…

…**S!**

**S/_/_/_/_/_/_/**

…

…

…**C!**

**S/_/_/C/_/_/_/**

…

…

…**U!  
S/U/_/C/_/_/_/**

…

…

…**E!**

**S/U/_/C/_/_/E/**

…

…

…**D!  
S/U/_/C/_/D/E/**

…

…

…**I!**

**S/U/I/C/_/D/E**

…

…

…**I!**

**S/U/I/C/I/D/E**

**SUICIDE**

RUMIKO: That's it!

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

RUMIKO: …If Yujiro is right about Junichi getting the knives…

RUMIKO: It has to have been suicide, right?

TATSUYA: S-suicide?!

ETSUYA: …W-what..?

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: I think it's most likely that he got the knives for suicide.

YUJIRO: It's hard to believe… but even the evidence points to this!

DAWN: Like I said… it looked like Junichi well enough.

RUMIKO: …It's the only possibility, huh?

RUMIKO: Even though Junichi had made a friend…

RUMIKO: He still committed suicide?

YUJIRO: …Rumiko…

RUMIKO: …

TAIKAN: It…all makes sense, though…

TAIKAN: If Junichi killed himself…

TAIKAN: He could have twisted his wrists… and slashed himself.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: Why?

RUMIKO: Why would he have committed suicide?

RUMIKO: He was my friend, wasn't he?

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: The two of us…

…

_JUNICHI: But you need a friend too, right?_

_[A friend..? What was he..?]_

_RUMIKO: Stop mocking me. I don't need your pity._

…

_JUNICHI: I didn't have friends either for a long time._

_JUNICHI: I was trying to be nice to you…_

_JUNICHI: Don't you want… someone to trust on?_

…

RUMIKO: Someone… to trust on.

RUMIKO: That's something Junichi said to me when we first met…

RUMIKO: He asked me if I wanted someone to trust on.

RUMIKO: What a hypocrite…

RUMIKO: Wasn't I good enough for that?

RUMIKO: Wasn't I… Couldn't I be trusted?

YUJIRO: …*sniff*

MITSUO: Huh? Yujiro is crying?

[I looked around, and I saw Yujiro's face shadowed by his sadness. Teardrops slowly dripping from his eyes.]

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: …Oi! Why are you crying?!

YUJIRO: ..!

RUMIKO: …I had to find out myself that my first friend was dead.

RUMIKO: You made me realize myself that he couldn't trust me.

RUMIKO: Don't cry for yourself!

YUJIRO: …I'm not crying for myself.

YUJIRO: I'm crying for **you.**

RUMIKO: H-huh?

[For me?]

RUMIKO: …Are you mocking me or something?

YUJIRO: …I would never.

YUJIRO: But I still think that there are more things to talk about…

YUJIRO: …and I feel bad for you.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: Ha. Feel bad for me..?

RUMIKO: Why?

RUMIKO: I'm rich.

RUMIKO: I've survived more attacks than anyone could possibly follow.

RUMIKO: I don't need your sympathy.

RUMIKO: …I don't need sympathy at all.

RUMIKO: I hate sympathy.

RUMIKO: …It's awful.

RUMIKO: Being made out… to be weak…  
YUJIRO: …

TAIKAN: …But sympathy…

TAIKAN: Sympathy is something that we as humans need, right?

YUJIRO: T-Taikan?

TAIKAN: If we can't feel sorry for each other, then we aren't human.

TAIKAN: We're just soulless freaks who feed on each other's misery.

RUMIKO: …Your definition of sympathy and mine are different.

RUMIKO: Sympathy is when someone is looking down on you.

RUMIKO: Why would anyone sympathize with you if you aren't weak?

RUMIKO: Well I'm not weak!

TAIKAN: …I'm not saying that you are, Rumiko.

TAIKAN: But we all need to feel sorry for each other.

TAIKAN: That way, we can become friends, right? Isn't that what you want?

TAIKAN: Why are you so sad Junichi is dead? Because he was your first friend, right?

RUMIKO: …

TAIKAN: But what if we become your friends?

TAIKAN: Then this doesn't have to happen anymore.

TAIKAN: I'm unconfident about myself too.

TAIKAN: But we can get out of this mall, right?

MONOKUMA: Upupupu… this talk is setting off a magnetic field of hope…

MONOKUMA: It's sort of funny too, since you guys don't even know what despair waits you.

TAIKAN: …

TAIKAN: Don't you think we can handle it though?

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Oh, fine. Whatever you say, Mr. Pilot.

MONOKUMA: What the heck though? Why is a pilot being like the deutragonist?

HIDEYOSHI: Deutragonist. Noun. The second main character of a story.

TAIKAN: I-I'm not being a deutragonist… I'm just trying to comfort Rumiko…

TAIKAN: We can't be sad forever, you know?

YUJIRO: ...

YUJIRO: Taikan is right.

YUJIRO: And what a great speech that was…

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Rumiko?

RUMIKO: …

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: …Alright.

[This is the first time, isn't it? That I'm opening up my boundaries to people other than me or Junichi.]

[It feels nice…]

[Sort of…]

[Having friends…]

[This is what'll get us through this, right?]

[So if it is… I guess I have to make friends with these guys.]

[It's not by choice.]

[But…]

[It'll be nice.]

[Yeah… I thought I didn't want one.]

[All this time…]

RUMIKO: …I guess until we get out of this mall.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Until we get out of this mall.

RUMIKO: …But this trial isn't over yet.

YUJIRO: Huh?

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Dawn Edition – Volume Two_

RUMIKO: There's something I want to know. Know more than anything.

YUJIRO: …Why Junichi killed himself?

RUMIKO: …I don't think it was just because of something petty like sadness.

RUMIKO: …It shouldn't have been.

RUMIKO: No! I'm confident!

RUMIKO: If I were there, he would've still committed suicide.

ARE: Are you saying that he had a reason to?

MIYOKO: Why would he possibly want to commit suicide?

ETSUYA: Is this really important?

ETSUYA: Look, we caught the killer, didn't we?

ETSUYA: Monokuma, if Junichi committed suicide… that means he's the culprit, right?

MONOKUMA: Sure does!

MONOKUMA: Suicide is just like murder in a way.

MONOKUMA: You're still taking away a life.

MONOKUMA: Whether it be your own, or the life of someone else.

MONOKUMA: Yup! It's completely true!

ETSUYA: What else do we need to talk about?

RUMIKO: There has to be a reason why Junichi committed suicide.

RUMIKO: I won't rest until I find out why.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: I suppose you're right.

YUJIRO: We should find out the motive to Junichi's "murder."

[One way or another… Junichi committed suicide. It's the only possibility, and I can't change that. Yet, I need to know. Why would he do that? I'm going to find that out…]

* * *

_Soundtrack: Hope Vs. Despair 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE TEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

…

Usable Ammunition:

- Junichi's Dying Message

- Shina's Testimony

- Journal

- Rubbings

- Trash Can

…

YUJIRO: **Why would Junichi commit suicide?**

TAIKAN: Rumiko thinks it wasn't because of just sadness.

MIYOKO: Would he want to commit suicide for something else?

SHINA: Eh… I can't imagine it being anything other than depression…

NANAO: That's why people do it anyways…

LUCY: But… if Rumiko thinks so…

MITSUO: _**Maybe he really wasn't right in the head!**_

GIICHI: …Are you sure we aren't overthinking this?

ETSUYA: …There's no way.

ETSUYA: **==No way he killed himself other than the fact that he was a sad loon!==**

RUMIKO: You've got that wrong!

_Ammunition used: Shina's Testimony_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: Class Trial Odd Edition_

RUMIKO: …Shina, I remember what you told me.

SHINA: Hmm? Me?

SHINA: Yahoo! Shina Wakabayashi strikes again!

SHINA: Um… what exactly did I tell you?

RUMIKO: Remember?

…

_YUJIRO: I'm wondering about this too. Did you?_

_ETSUYA: …I don't have to say anything to you._

_SHINA: But he did, didn't he? He was bullying Junichi just a little ways before!_

…

SHINA: Oh! So I did say that!

SHINA: Woo! Home run for Shina Wakabayashi!

RUMIKO: Yes…

RUMIKO: Etsuya! You're the reason why Junichi killed himself!

ETSUYA: M-me..?!

DAWN: By your slight defensiveness… It's safe to say that he already suspected this.

MIYOKO: How terrible…

MIYOKO: What does a terrible person like yourself do to enjoy driving someone to the edge of their seat like that?!

ETSUYA: H-hold on just a minute! I-I know I hurt him…

ETSUYA: But there's no way I made him kill himself!

ETSUYA: That's just as bad as killing him myself!

RUMIKO: Why are you so shocked now?! Didn't you try to kill him earlier?!

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: God…

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: God!

RUMIKO: You… you killed Junichi, you fucking bastard!

ETSUYA: …

MIYOKO: H-how terrible! An awful thing to do..!

ETSUYA: … …

ETSUYA: He… heh… hehehehehe…

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

ETSUYA: Oh? You think I give a shit?

RUMIKO: H-huh?!

ETSUYA: Haha!

ETSUYA: I'm rubber, you bitch! Whatever you say jumps off of me!

ETSUYA: Why the fuck do you think I would care about such a stupid fucking thing?

ETSUYA: Yo! Yo! Yoooooo! This is too funny!

TATSUYA: W-what kind of person are you..?

TATSUYA: How can you say something like that?!

MITSUO: Hmm? This guy is losing more screws than I am!

MITSUO: Waah! I'm so happy! I'm not the weirdest guy here!

ETSUYA: Hee… Heehee…

RUMIKO: …Why you…!

ETSUYA: Yes, yes! Why me?

ETSUYA: I tried to kill Junichi to get out of here!

ETSUYA: Yet I killed him indirectly? Is that what happened?

YUJIRO: No. If you get down to the real technical business, Junichi still killed himself.

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: There's something not right here.

RUMIKO: What..?

YUJIRO: Why would he kill himself over a few comments made by Etsuya?

RUMIKO: What do you mean?! Etsuya made his life an even bigger hell!

ETSUYA: …

RUMIKO: He doesn't even show any regret!

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: Etsuya made Junichi kill himself! That's as far as it goes!

YUJIRO: No! There's something more than that!

YUJIRO: Something… that makes Junichi himself sinister too.

RUMIKO: …Huh?

RUMIKO: …Even you? Even you're going to insult him?

YUJIRO: I'm not trying to, but think back to what Etsuya said.

TAIKAN: He disposed of the evidence after attacking Junichi?

YUJIRO: …How could Junichi have prepared those dying messages if he were knocked out?

RUMIKO: …He just wrote the names after he woke up! Then he killed himself!

YUJIRO: That's impossible. Junichi had prepared those notes beforehand!

RUMIKO: So what?

GIICHI: Does that make a difference in any way?

YUJIRO: Of course it does!

YUJIRO: Why would Junichi have written his dying message beforehand?

DAWN: …Are you saying…

DAWN: He intended…

_Soundtrack: New World Order_

DAWN: To frame Etsuya for his own death?

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: …I don't want to believe it.

RUMIKO: H-he wouldn't do that..!

RUMIKO: Because he knew the rules!

TAIKAN: I-if he framed Etsuya and we got it wrong…

TAIKAN: We would be executed!

RUMIKO: You see?! It's common sense anyways!

YUJIRO: …I don't know about that.

YUJIRO: But… he set Etsuya up for the crime.

YUJIRO: Of course the evidence that Etsuya piled up for himself definitely helped Junichi's case.

RUMIKO: S-shut up!

RUMIKO: That means… he knew I would die!

RUMIKO: So he wouldn't!

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: …He wouldn't..!

YUJIRO: …I…I don't know what to say.

RUMIKO: …But he wouldn't..! I know he wouldn't..!

YUJIRO: …I hate to say this again, because I know you don't like it… but, I'm sorry, Rumiko.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: …

[…I… don't want to believe it at all.]

[Junichi? Try and kill me?]

[This reality is too harsh to face..!]

[I refuse to believe it!]

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: …It's not true!

YUJIRO: …I hope it's not.

RUMIKO: It isn't!

MIYOKO: S-so the tables have turned..!

RUMIKO: Nothing turned!

HIDEYOSHI: T-the culprit had some devious intentions, did he not?

RUMIKO: He didn't! Stop!

TAIKAN: Come on you guys… show a little decency…

YUJIRO: Rumiko, you're going to have to face this head on.

RUMIKO: No! I don't want too!

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: …

[Facing this head on? You mean you want to me to expect that there was another betrayal among me?]

_Soundtrack: Hope vs. Despair 2__nd__ Mix_

**==PHASE ELEVEN==**

_Nonstop Debate!_

…

Usable Ammunition:

- Junichi's First Dying Message

- Picture of Skateboard

- Journal

- Trash Can

- Rubbings

…

YUJIRO: He tried to frame Etsuya.

YUJIRO: _**==I think that's the reality of this murder.==**_

MIYOKO: But are you certain..?

LUCY: By doing so… he would've killed us too!

GIICHI: How unpleasant…

SHINA: Ubaubaubau!

RUMIKO: …I concur.

_Ammunition used: Rubbings_

_**BREAK!**_

* * *

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

RUMIKO: …Alright. I'll do it.

RUMIKO: Facing reality, huh? It's tough.

YUJIRO: …If you look at the rubbings…

YUJIRO: That last line. "I think it'll be best if he…"

YUJIRO: Something along the lines of that.

RUMIKO: …What about the antique knife?

YUJIRO: It was probably prepared in advance to act as a red herring.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: Oh. That makes sense.

ETSUYA: …

ETSUYA: Ha! What a weakling.

RUMIKO: …

NANAO: So it was coincidence that Etsuya went to attack Junichi?

YUJIRO: Yeah.

YUJIRO: It only made it worse on Etsuya himself. More evidence piling up and all.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: I need to collect my thoughts…

YUJIRO: …Rumiko…

RUMIKO: What happened from start to end…

RUMIKO: I'll figure it out.

RUMIKO: Because… I need to confront this myself, right?

YUJIRO: …

RUMIKO: Alright then. I'll do it.

[The sequence of events from start to finish…]

_Soundtrack: Climax Return_

RUMIKO: This case starts way back when. Junichi was getting fed up with Etsuya's constant remarks and tauntings. This was getting worse and worse, until Junichi decided he was fed up with everything… tired of his life… he went to the restaurant in a trench suit so no one would recognize him. He got two knives from the kitchen, and set up his own mystery, even though Dawn witnessed his entrance. After he got the two knives, he swapped one out for the antique knife at the store, trying to place as much suspicion as he could. He returned to his room, and slashed his wrist once, so that he wouldn't bleed out from it. He wrote Etsuya's name on a sliver of paper, and made a picture of a skateboard. Though he was going to kill himself, Etsuya arrived, and attempted to kill him with the baseball bat he retrieved. Junichi was lured to the back of the room, where he was knocked out. Etsuya found the journal entry and the dying message, and attempted to dispose of both of them. When Junichi came to, Junichi went back to his desk, and finished what he started. He took the knife, and slashed his own arm. This was all because of one thing…

RUMIKO: He wanted to frame Etsuya and kill the rest of us! It's Etsuya's fault all of it!

_**Class trial complete! Live to see another day.**_

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

The first class trial was over. It was much worse than I could have ever anticipated it to be. I felt like death at that moment. Everything was toppling over… I was being betrayed again. Again and again, by the people I thought I could trust most.

"Upupu! So you all came to a conclusion?" Monokuma asked. "Alright then! Please vote for who you think the killer is in the touchpad in front of you! Will you finger the correct villain tonight? Or will you be oh so wrong? Let's find out!"

Monokuma took out a slot machine, and pulled the lever. Three faces aligned, resembling Junichi completely, and Monokuma hopped on top of it, clapping his paws together.

"Good job! You got it right!" Monokuma said. "Junichi was the culprit in this case! He killed himself nice and good!"

I didn't say anything. I wanted to be alone. I wanted to crawl under my covers and think about nothing at all. Yujiro walked over, and put his hand on my shoulder, but I pushed him away and walked past everyone else, waiting at the staircase to leave this place.

"We can leave now, right?" I asked Monokuma.

"You want to leave?" Monokuma asked. "Why is that? Don't you want to see the encore performance?"

"What encore?" I asked. "Just let me leave."

"You're not suggesting the execution, are you?" Yujiro asked.

"H-huh?! Execution?!" Nanao screamed.

"Ha! You going to execute me?" Etsuya asked. "Just try it! I dare you!"

"No, no, no! I'm a fair bear!" Monokuma exclaimed. "I wouldn't try and execute you! No, instead, I'm going to punish someone else today!"

"Who is there to punish?" I snapped, walking up to Monokuma. "Why won't you just let us leave?"

"…Alright, Meowykins! Prepare the execution!"

"Nooo! You can't!" Monomi screamed.

"Got it boss!" Meowykins said enthusiastically. "Meow!"

We waited. Waited. Waited some more. The silence was an awkward blast of uncertainty within ourselves. There was someone else to execute? Who? It couldn't have been one of us students. If it were, then we would have been killed by now.

"May I have your attention?" Monokuma asked, pointing at the middle of the courtroom. "May we proceed with our execution? We have a very **special guest to punish today!**"

A special guest..?

"May we introduce…"

"Our super…"

"Special…"

"Guest!"

"Rumiko's mom and her cameraman Kenny!"

Monokuma took out a gavel, and slammed a red button. A screen below it showed a pixelated 8-bit version of my mom and Kenny, and Monokuma dragged the two of them off.

_Soundtrack: Super Danganronpa 2 – Chapter 1 Execution Music_

_(AN: Instead of the execution being relayed through Rumiko's point of view, it is easier in a third-person. Executions will now always be in third person for easier explanations.)_

* * *

The camera pans through the group of fifteen surviving students as bright shining lights point towards the center of the courtroom. Kenny and Rumiko's mother are tied to a chair, and a camera is reeling with Monokuma manning the camera. He begins to pull on a crank, which brings out a claw from the focal point.

_**Exploitation! Paparazzi Execution!**_

Monokuma rapidly pulls on the crank, as the claw gets closer and closer to Kenny and Rumiko. The claw wraps around the two of them, and it extends extremely fast as it breaks through the walls and ceiling. The two of them are put in a secluded dark room, as a large LED screen in front of them begins to rapidly flash, as the light soon catches on fire, burning the two of them to the ground. At a nearby photo booth, many pictures exit from the machine, illustrating the execution while the fifteen of them investigate the pictures, looking at them in horror.

* * *

"…Mom?"

"…Kenny..?"

My mother… and Kenny were killed?

"…Why?"

"Why?"

Junichi betrayed me.

My mother was killed in front of me.

Even the closest person I had to a friend at first was killed in front of me.

…

What was this?

It was most definitely some sort of despair…

Even worse than despair…

What was worse than despair?

I'm…

Feeling…

Sick…

The world turned black again, as my chest churned and stopped. I think I fell to the floor, and as I fell, I watched my life flash before my eyes.

It was death for me.

_**Continued in Chapter 2: (ab)normal days**_


	9. Chapter Two: (ab)Normal Days

**(AN: Ready for Chapter 2? A note about the Free-Time for this chapter, since only two characters were nominated this chapter for it, I'll be choosing two at random. Yay random!**

**MonokumaSensei: Don't feel bad about it… lol. Thank you for the review!**

**Ode 30: Yay everyone loves a living hell! Still, a living hell in Chapter 1 is rather despairing. Thank you for the review!**

**Enjoy!)**

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

(ab)normal days

_Friction in a Group of Despair_

* * *

_**Location: The Infirmary | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Two | Day Four**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys! It's now 7:00! Rise and shiiinnneee! Let's make today the best day it can be!"_

Hearing these familiar words, I opened my eyes and let the light back in. Lying down in a hospital bed again, I looked out the window and saw the bright light shining in through the window. I remembered trying to leave through the front door, but Monokuma saying that he'd shoot us all down if we ever tried that again. Of course, after seeing the death of my parents and the deaths of the other parents, I didn't doubt this at all.

I was strapped to the heart monitor again. As the machine made annual and monotone beeps, I sat up, legs stretched forward, and began to cry. Everyone was dying, one by one. Junichi was killed because he couldn't handle Etsuya's torment anymore. Because of that, Junichi tried to kill all of us in an act of revenge; even _me._ I laughed inside at myself, knowing it would be too good to be true to have a friend at all. I remembered the face of my mom as she was brutally killed by Monokuma, and even Kenny.

What was this all like? I remembered this as such a familiar feeling of despair, and I've gotten used to it so much that it didn't even hurt as much as I thought it could. That feeling in itself was depressing, and even more upsetting than seeing everyone get killed in front of me. Wasn't that sad? Me feeling sorry for myself instead of everyone else. Maybe it would be best if the next victim was me. If someone walked up to me with a sword, I would easily let myself take the fall instead of trying to escape or fight it.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Now, now, Rumiko! That's not a healthy way to think!" Monokuma exclaimed. "Instead, you should try thinking positively! Hey, no one will kill me!"

"How did you know what I was thinking?" I asked, a tiny bit astonished.

"I'm an esper," Monokuma said. "Like Dawn over yonder."

"I don't think so," I said.

"What do you mean, I don't think so?" Monokuma asked. "I take that to offense! It's as if you think you know everything about me, huh? Well, guess what? I'm a bear of my own! I know what I can do!"

I didn't respond, and only gave him a stare telling him to get to the point.

"My, my," Monokuma sighed. "You won't even bother to listen to my life story. Oh well, I guess I'm here to tell you that as long as you're here, you will not die!"

"What do you mean?"

"Aren't you worried about your heart at all?" Monokuma asked. "Your special heart is like, bursting at every dead body you see, and it's rather annoying to me that I have to fix it every single time and give you my special Monokuma treatment."

"So?"

"I gave you something special!" Monokuma exclaimed. "It's a very special pacemaker that I like to call: MonokumaxRumiko's Pacemaker! Let the love be shared through this electronic pump machine!"

"Monokuma… and Rumiko?" I asked. "I don't really like the name of that."

"Too bad!" Monokuma snapped. "It's already carved into the pacemaker! It will always very clearly say MonokumaxRumiko, got it? So suck it up! Besides, this pacemaker is absolutely fool-proof!"

"Fool-proof?"

"It amends all the weaknesses that an ordinary pacemaker wouldn't be able to do," Monokuma replied with a proud tone. "For one, the pacemaker automatically adjusts its pumping rate, so you will. So if you are running, it will pump the amount of blood you need so you won't die. Also, you probably won't collapse anymore after seeing a body, even though your heart might feel like exploding just a little bit."

"So I can do physical activities now?"

"Well, no," Monokuma said. "It will break if your heart gets too active. So I wouldn't run."

"I thought you said it was fool proof," I sighed.

"But you can go near magnets now!" Monokuma said proudly.

"I don't give a crap about magnets."

"Wow! How boring," Monokuma retorted. "For a person to not like magnets is like not liking eating a nice bag of large fries with my tasty Monokuma Burger. It's against nature, I tell you!"

"…I get it now," I said. "Mind leaving?"

"One more thing," Monokuma said. "We're about to hold another get together at **the concert hall,** so I would appreciate it if you stopped being the lazy vegetable you are and came."

"I had a heartattack."

"Exactly!" Monokuma sighed, slapping his paw into his forehead. "I tell you, humans are not as wise as us bears."

With that, Monokuma disappeared, leaving me behind his dust. He would be waiting at the concert hall, right?

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

I left the hospital room, cold air blasting in my face as I opened the door. Putting on my jacket as I was walking out, I saw Taikan waiting out in front of the door for me. He was fast asleep, head tilted down, and neck twisted sideways. Not wanting to wake him (but mostly to avoid interaction with anyone), I tiptoed past and tried to leave him alone. One step beside him and Taikan woke with a snap, though.

"Oh!" Taikan said as he woke. "Good morning, Rumiko!"

Taikan stood up immediately and arched his hand over his head like he usually does. Still not responding, I walked faster and faster to the concert hall while Taikan followed me.

"S-so, I was just kind of worried," he said. "You had another heart attack and lots of people you were close to were killed, so… are you okay?"

I gave him a slight glare and he immediately silenced. As we stopped by the food court, Miyoko was sitting down, eating a biscuit.

"Good morning, Miyoko!" Taikan said, doing the same arch movement with his arm.

"Good morning," she replied, as she put butter on her biscuit. "Rumiko, I see you're awake."

I nodded, turning my head away.

"Today is a beautiful day," Miyoko sighed. "I wish we could step outside these walls for a change."

"I know what you mean," Taikan sighed. "I haven't been outside… in so long…"

"In addition, I would like to commend you on your speech last class trial," Miyoko said, standing up, and bowing slightly to Taikan. "Your talk about friends… It was very inspirational, I suppose."

"W-well," Taikan stammered. "N-no… it wasn't anything like that."

"No, it was a very true and noble thing," Miyoko said. "I was very impressed."

"I told you, it wasn't to impress anyone," Taikan sighed.

"It's a little weird though," I said, walking away. "It's like you have moments of brilliance, yet then you shut off your own intelligence like now."

"W-what do you mean?" Taikan asked. "A-are you saying I'm stupid?! I know I'm not exactly amazing, but…"

"…Never mind," I said, cutting him and myself off. Taikan looked at me puzzled, and I walked away towards the concert hall in a hurry.

* * *

_**Location: Mall East Wing (Outside of Concert Hall) | Time: 7:42 AM | Chapter Two | Day Four**_

"Ho! It's Rumiko-chan!" Shina exclaimed as I entered the proximity of the concert hall. "Welcome to the esteemed concert hall of the Hope's Peak Mall!"

"O-oh, Shina," I said. "Morning…"

"And a morning it is!" Shina said, pointing her nose up in the air. "What a relief that none of us were as cruel as to murder Junichi! Confidence! I have confidence! Woo!"

Junichi… still… his cruelty in trying to kill me? That was horrid. I wanted to bury that thought in my mind, but it looks like it won't run away that easily.

"O-oops!" Shina said, noticing the sadness in my face. "Sorry! Sorrysorrysorry! Didn't want to… you know…"

"Whatever," I said. "It's fine."

As the two of us waited, Shina began to talk to me (more like herself) about her talk show, being able to do a bunch of things on the air with famous people. It all sounded like a cool job; much more than my life being popularized to the general public by the corporate. Shina continued, and I began to grow a little more interested, listening in.

"And that's how you balance a pencil on the tip of your tongue!" Shina exclaimed, grabbing a pen and placing it on the tip of her tongue and pointing it to the air.

I cracked a small smile, but I began to grow a bit confused as to why no one was coming. A tumbleweed randomly sliding across the floor would make a great fit to the atmosphere right now. I spoke too soon, as Giichi walked in, headphones on maximum volume like always.

"…Morning," Giichi said.

"Good morning!" Shina replied. Giichi didn't respond, the volume of his music still blasting towards the sky. "Hmm! It looks like Giichi is not going to be listening to any of us today!"

Continuing this silence, it took a while for more people to gather up at the concert hall. Teruyo arrived soon after Giichi, looking around, visibly disappointed.

"Is Giichi all we got today?" Teruyo asked, sighing. "Damn…I needed a _massage_ today…"

"Girl, no one will touch you with clean hands!" Shina said. Teruyo sighed and stood by the entrance in frustration. Waiting some more, it wasn't long until more people decided to show up. Taikan and Miyoko soon followed after Teruyo and they were talking a decent amount. For some reason, I think Miyoko saw some sense of honor in Taikan since that's what she's basically obsessed about.

"…and then I single-handedly battled them, cutting their throats and flushing their blood out. Following that, I removed their heads for trophies that I mounted on my walls back in my homeland," Miyoko said, continuing a strange earlier conversation.

"W-wow," Taikan stuttered, stunned. "That's amazing. B-but isn't it a little uncomfortable to be walking around in your house with decapitated heads hanging on the walls?"

"Not at all," Miyoko said, with an obvious expression of surprise. "What makes you think that..?"

"…Just… human nature," Taikan said

While they continued their horrifying conversation about dismemberment, it was rather fast from there, as more and more people arrived, following each other rapidly. Etsuya was the second to last to arrive, but none of us complained about that. Whenever he was around, there was a disgusting aura that I wanted to rip apart. It was _him_ that got Junichi's psyche messed up. I'm sure it was. After Etsuya arrived, we had to wait several minutes for Yujiro to arrive.

"Good morning, everyone," Yujiro said cheerfully. "How are we all doing?"

"That's a stupid question!" Nanao whined. "So many people just died and you can really ask that?"

"W-well… hopefully it all stops from here, right?" Yujiro said, the mood dropping about ten feet. "If we all just think a little more positively…"

"Ha! Fucker," Etsuya said, interrupting Yujiro. "Don't think that your inspirational speech of fucking happiness will change anyone!"

"Oi, you just shut up," Taikan growled.

"Will you take those big pilot arms and whack me?" Etsuya asked, soon after. "I don't think so. I can fucking beat any of you guys up. I can fucking kill any of you guys when I want..!"

"Y-you're insane," Nanao said, shrill.

"Can we all not just silence ourselves for two minutes without shooting each other down?" Are asked, depleted of her energy. "Us fighting among ourselves will only lead to conflict."

"Indeed! This female is correct!" Hideyoshi announced.

"This female?" Are asked.

"Hey, aren't you a fucking peacemaker?" Etsuya asked. "Make fucking peace! Not like it's gonna shut me up anyhow."

"Etsuya is mean, huh?!" Mitsuo asked.

"I'm mean?" Etsuya asked. "Ha! I have pretty good reasons to be mean!"

"Care to explain?" Dawn asked. "We'd all love to hear them."

"I wouldn't," I retorted. "Can't we all just shut up?"

"I like that idea!" Tatsuya said. "Let's all just follow Rumiko's order and stop talking! That will be peace! Peace…"

"Shut up, magician," Etsuya laughed.

"…I believed that you may have had a false demeanor under all that," Dawn sighed. "But I suppose that I wrong. You just don't have a heart, do you?"

"Do I not have a heart?" Etsuya asked. "No, my heart is fucking beating just fine, thank you very much."

"…Don't you feel bad at all?" I asked.

"Bad for what?" Etsuya asked.

"…You…"

_Music halts_

"You're the reason why Junichi died. Don't you know that..?"

Etsuya didn't respond, his smirk turning into a frown. I could feel the atmosphere turn as dead as silent night. Etsuya turned around, back facing everyone, and shook his head.

"…I don't think it was me."

"What?!" I growled.

_Soundtrack: AoE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Howdy, y'all!" Meowykins said, interrupting us incredibly well. "I hope we're all doing fine on this fantastic day! Meow! Of course, I'm doing amazing! I just went on an amazing walk to the mountainside, and I tell you, it was relaxing as hell!"

"Y-you went outside?!" Taikan asked. "C-can we go?! Just to take a walk?! Y-you know, Monokuma can oversee us with a big machine gun or something!"

"I-I wouldn't walk if he were doing that!" Tatsuya snapped.

"No, no, no!" Meowykins said. "I won't allow that. Or suggest that. Though Monokuma probably already heard what y'all said, meow."

"Where is Monokuma?" Are asked. "I'm surprised you came down instead of him."

"Oh, but I'm working on my loyalty," Meowykins said. "Y'all remember this, I'm on Monokuma's side from now on. He's a riot, meow!"

"W-we have two stuffed dolls to fight now?!" Tatsuya screamed.

"Hey! **Fucker! I'm not a stuffed fucking doll!**" Meowykins angrily screeched. "I'll fucking kill you if you call me that again! Meow!"

"F-f-forgive me!" Tatsuya squealed.

"…Anyways," Meowykins continued, "I bet y'all are wondering why I called y'all down here, right?"

"A lot, actually," I said.

"Well, you're in luck!" Meowykins swooned. "Y'all are going to continue that hacking job that I assigned you a couple days ago. Isn't that cool?"

"I-it's not cool..!" Are stammered. "I wouldn't betray the other countries like that!"

"M-me neither," Taikan said. "I'm a pilot, so going into foreign countries is sort of my thing."

"You mean… you expect us to do this?" I asked with content. "Why should we?"

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Well, you're going to do it!" Monokuma snapped, jumping in from nowhere.

"Oh! It's Monokuma!" Shina pointed.

"Oh! Monokuma!" Meowykins swooned. "Ya came for me! Meow!"

"Of course I did, my sweet!" Monokuma swooned back. "I wouldn't betray you! In fact, these students will do EXACTLY what you say!"

"Oh good!" Meowykins exclaimed. "Meow!"

"Don't we get a reward for doing this?" I asked. "If we were following Meowykins' original rules, we were supposed to get Meowy Bucks for doing his odd tasks."

"Of course!" Meowykins said. "I wouldn't betray y'all like that! I'm honest, like my Monokuma. I'll reward you with 50 meow bucks! Meow!"

"And in addition, you'll also get 50 meow bucks for surviving a class trial," Monokuma said. "You guys should be happy! Jumping up and down with glee! Your generous leader known as Monokuma has just given you a fantastic deal! One hundred meow bucks! That's at least like, one store!"

"One store?!" Shina screeched, disappointed.

"Maybe two," Monokuma chuckled. "Maybe fifty. I'm throwing you off, aren't I?"

"B-but still…" Are said, dismayed. "Isn't there anything else we can do..?"

"…Sure, I guess," Monokuma said.

"Huh?!" Meowykins gasped.

"But you'll have to help me with an odd task of mine. As long as there are at least a split of seven people working for me or Meowykins and eight people working for the other, I don't really mind. You know, this odd task of mine, it's absolutely necessary that we get it completed…"

"Why? What is it?" Nanao asked.

"You don't really want to know, do you?" Taikan asked.

I looked at Monokuma. Being a stuffed doll, it was obvious to me that I couldn't read his face. Because of that, I can't tell what he's thinking. But… I'm just wondering… what could he be thinking up of?

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

Suddenly, that last brutal moment flashed in my eyes. I was in the audience, and everyone had their parents killed in front of them. It didn't make sense; the ceiling opened, and huge items dropped from the sky. Even if these guys were rich as hell, that wouldn't make it any more possible. Which begged the question, how did Monokuma set that up? Why am I thinking about this now? My panicked expression must've been showing, since I could see Yujiro expressing some concern over me.

"What are you thinking about?" Yujiro whispered.

"…That motive that Monokuma provided us with," I whispered back.

"You think it has something to do with what Monokuma wants with us?"

I nodded emotionlessly, and stared back up to Monokuma, cutting Yujiro's string of concern. Monokuma was whispering something to Meowykins, who was slowly raising his paws to his mouth. Their faces made no emotions, but the both of them emanated a heavily sinister aura that I couldn't shake the feeling of.

"We'd at least want to know what this project is..!" Are said, exhausted.

"Don't worry, it's nothing too terrible," Monokuma said. "At least for you, considering you make peace between countries. Just bring a pencil and your two steady hands!"

"A pencil..?"

"You… what are you planning?" I asked.

Monokuma and I stared at each other. We stared at each other and tried to take the other down with our glares. Yet… at that moment…

_Soundtrack: Miss Monomi's Practice Lesson_

"Stop, stop, stop!" Monomi cried, jumping in at that moment.

"Huh! It's Monomi now!" Shina exclaimed.

"My name is not Monomwi!" Monomi cried. "It's Usami!"

"Why did you come here?" I asked coldly.

"W-wah… so mean…" Monomi whimpered.

"…Why did you come here?" Monokuma asked.

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you dead?" Monokuma asked, tilting his head. "I could've sword that I killed you at the island with that other gamer chick. So why are you here now?"

Monomi didn't answer, and the two only stared at each other.

"And if you're here, does that mean Nanami is back too?" Monokuma asked. "She was an AI created to watch over children like these. Yet, only you're here. Why is that?"

Monomi didn't answer again, as I tried to process all this information. I don't really know what Monokuma meant by back at the island. But Monomi and Monokuma obviously had met before. And who was this Nanami person..? And what did he mean by watch children like us? Questions were popping in and out of nowhere, as the two began to stare at each other even more.

"What's exactly happening now?" Nanao asked.

"Haha! Three stuffed animals in one place!" Mitsuo exclaimed. "Cute!"

"These stuffed animals are a far cry from cute!" Tatsuya snapped.

"Fuck all of this," Etsuya said. "I want to know what you three are talking about."

"Believe me honey, I'm uninvolved," Meowykins said, sounding as surprised as the rest of us. "Monokuma! You didn't tell me you had another woman!"

"Another?" Monokuma asked. "I thought you were genderless."

"Mmm, well…" Meowykins stuttered.

"Never mind," Monokuma asked. "This isn't another woman. This is my sister."

"Yet I am still a woman!" Monomi snapped. "A-anyways, I don't have to answer to the wikes of you!"

"…Oh, fine," Monokuma said. "Normally I'd beat you up, but I'm getting really sleepy… anyways, anyone who doesn't want to hack with Meowykins doesn't have to, but then they'll have to help me tomorrow with my very super secret important task."

"What is this task?" Monomi demanded.

"Like hell I'd tell you!" Monokuma snapped. "You are like a huge ugly beetle. You're disgusting on the inside and the outside, yet you're extremely hard to kill because you move around all the time."

"Do not compare me to a bweetle!" Monomi responded.

"I should've killed you when you first got here," Monokuma sighed.

"Don't even think about it!" Monomi responded again. "I have more copies now in my arsenal of copies of copies!"

"So much copies!" Shina exclaimed.

"Hmm? What copies?" Mitsuo asked. "Are you talking about copies of pornography?"

"Oh my," Monokuma said. "You're personality changes do get exasperating."

"We shall not acquiesce to these fools!" Hideyoshi exclaimed. "I do not care much for your foolish Meowy Bucks! The only currency I need is the good old –"

"Save it for the press," Monokuma said. "You'd better 'acquiesce' or otherwise I'd be forced to shoot you down. You'll be dead and it'll only be your fault."

"O-oh my," Hideyoshi stuttered. "I acquiesce to that."

"Good! Anyways, for those not hacking, you can leave, but for those who are, follow Meowykins to the hacking room!"

Monokuma disappeared, and Monomi stood there, expressionless. She was as stiff as cardboard and didn't move a muscle. Only waiting for someone to push her.

"…Just who exactly are you?" I asked.

Monomi turned her head towards me, and she ran away, leaving me with a barrage of questions. Meowykins called on us to follow it to the game room. I decided that hacking some government files would be better than helping Monokuma, as the people outside would get that the situation was dire for us. The people outside… They'd definitely come for us.

But for now, we had to follow Meowykins.

_Music halts_

* * *

_**Location: The Game Store | Time: 8:32 AM | Chapter Two | Day Four**_

_Soundtrack: Re DISTRUST_

Following Meowykins into the game store, we all stood outside the very same doors where Taikan was shot. I looked at Taikan, who was shuddering in fear. Not only was he shot there – but I guess he did feel uncomfortable by doing something as illegal as this. Yet, we had no choice. We either could help Monokuma with an evil scheme or help ourselves by doing what this dog wants us to do.

Not everyone came with us. Yujiro, Taikan, Mitsuo, Giichi, Shina, Nanao, Dawn, and I, all decided to follow Meowykins and help it instead of going with Monokuma and helping in another one of his planned crimes.

"Welcome again to the hacking room, y'all!" Meowykins exclaimed. "Sorry I didn't get to give you a former introduction last time, but we're going to be hacking a couple of cool files today!"

"Government files?" Yujiro asked.

"No, no!" Meowykins said. "We'll be hacking something **different!**"

"W-what?" Taikan stammered. "T-thank goodness… Wait, what are we hacking?"

"A **special file…**" Meowykins said, with a sinister tone to its voice. It began laughing, as it turned the lights on. Meowykins beckoned for us to walk in, and I sat down at a computer far away from where everyone else was sitting. Turning the computer on, I saw Yujiro looking at me – a sad expression on his face, while I turned away and looked straight at the computer.

"Y'all didn't get to hack the government files last time, did you?" Meowykins asked. "Shame, but I guess I could teach y'all with this."

When the computer finally booted up, a window opened, looking a little like this:

**Username: ******

**Password: ******

**Authorization ID: ******

_**Which file would you like to open?**_

…**-Access Denied-..**

"Where you see username, put in KibougamineMall, no space in between," Meowykins said.

I typed in as he said: KibougamineMall…

"Next, for the password, type in 98K3D7H1," Meowykins said. "It's the same for the Authorization ID, except before the numbers, you have to type out Kibougamine again."

I clicked the box where the password was to be inputted, and I typed in the password. 98K3D7H1… Moving on to the authorization ID, I inputted Kibougamine98K3D7H1 like I was told to. A large beep emanated from our computers as we simultaneously inputted all this information.

"Wow! We did it!" Mitsuo exclaimed. "Super hacking force five!"

"There are eight of us," Dawn said.

"O-oh…" Mitsuo said, saddened. "You don't have to disappoint me like that."

I looked back at the computer screen, and a new folder was below the sentence: "Which file would you like to open?" Clicking it, there was a class picture that appeared on the screen. There were sixteen students all aligned up next to each other, and next to it, was a block of text:

**HOPE'S PEAK ACADEMY: CLASS ROSTER #1**

**These students attended the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy in the year of 2010. Hope's Peak Academy was revered in Japan for recognizing the talents from many of today's youth, and disciplining them, shaping their lives for a better future. The study subject from this roster is Makoto Naegi, a SHSL Good Luck that was chosen by a lottery system to participate in this program, for us scientists to take a look at how someone normal would react and proceed with everything. We will be observing Makoto Naegi very closely and how he interacts with the other students. We wish these students the best of luck.**

…What? What was this? It was just a description of a class that attended Hope's Peak Academy. That's… lame. Inside the folder, there were two other folders, named Class Roster #2 and New World Program. I moved the mouse over the second Class Roster, and another picture appeared, with a set of fifteen students. Observing the two class pictures very closely, something struck me as odd.

There were two people that looked exactly the same, except for the fact that one of them was ridiculously overweight. Did… he get held back a grade? I began to read the block of text that appeared at my screen, hoping to find out some more information.

**HOPE'S PEAK ACADEMY: CLASS ROSTER #2**

**These students attended the prestigious Hope's Peak Academy in the year of 2012. Hope's Peak Academy has just been reinstated into a revering state, and many look up to us again. Evidence are these sixteen students, who were handpicked and were eager to start a new school year at Hope's Peak Academy. We have also received a new study subject. His name is Nagito Komaeda, and he maintains a similar role to Makoto Naegi from Class Roster #1, in which we will be observing his interactions with the other students and how he plays out at Hope's Peak. His luck is a strange talent, and we have observed many supernatural events circulating around him. Nevertheless, his new personality and traits will give us a good opportunity to study things beyond the human mind.**

Everything was just piling down on me now. I didn't expect Hope's Peak to be exactly humane, discriminating against the talentless and the people with talent, but for them to study someone with no talent at all makes them seem like some sort of mad scientist, and the students picked through the lottery were guinea pigs. I wanted to find out more about Makoto Naegi and Nagito Komaeda, yet I couldn't find any specific information about them. There was one other thing that struck me as odd. It said in the file, that many were looking up to Hope's Peak **once again.** Did something happen..? No, if something happened, the internet would explode with information about it, yet I didn't hear anything at all about it.

Going back to the first folder, I clicked on the folder named: the New World Program.

…

**ACCESS DENIED. Authorization Key invalid for this file.**

…

What? Why can't I read this folder?

"Meowykins," I called out. "Come here."

"Yes?" Meowykins responded, walking slowly down to my computer. "What's the problem, Rumiko? Meow?"

"Why can't I open this folder?" I asked.

"…I don't know," Meowykins responded, it's attitude smug. "Ask Monokuma. He set up this file himself."

"He did?" I asked. "Why?"

"I don't really know, meow," Meowykins said. "But I'm not going to get up in his business, you know? Anyways, bye!"

Meowykins ran straight back up to the front of the room to overwatch us again. I looked at the computer screen once again, and tried countless times to open the New World file. Yet, I couldn't get it to open at all.

"Damn it," I said under my breath, leaning back on my chair. "In the end, this was completely useless, and I didn't find out anything at all."

I needed to analyze this information. I'm smart – I could do this…

The first thing that I noticed that was strange was the lack of files. Meowykins wanted us to hack different governments at first, and now we were looking at a file of two classes that attended Hope's Peak Academy. Not to mention that the instructions to hack these files were basically spoon fed to us. Second, there was that odd file of the New World Program. What was that about..? Did we really only hack these files for two bits of information? Information that is completely irrelevant to what Meowykins wanted us to do originally?

"Okay! If y'all are finished, you may now leave!" Meowykins announced. "I hope y'all had a good time!"

"Huh? That's it?" asked Mitsuo. "But we didn't find out anything. Hmm…"

"Those highschoolers were pretty cute!" Nanao exclaimed. "There were some lame looking ones though."

"Like what, Nanao?" Shina asked. "Most of them were good looking."

"I don't know their names," Nanao sighed.

"Still, we shouldn't probably talk about who's good looking and who's not good looking," Yujiro said. "We need to talk about the information we were just given."

"What information?" Taikan asked. "We were given information about two other groups of students that attended here. Big whoop. What does that have to do with us?"

"I don't know," Yujiro said. "But I'm sure if we talked about it, we could find out something, right?"

"Yujiro is too optimistic sometimes!" Mitsuo announced. "I think we should all just eat some candy and watch the others slave to Monokuma."

"I can't even tell when your personality changes anymore," Nanao said fearfully.

"…Did you guys find anything about these files?" Giichi asked.

"Take your headphones off for once," Shina grunted.

"I'm sure these files have some importance with our situation," Dawn said. "Otherwise, we wouldn't have been asked to hack these files in the first place."

"Yo! Don't talk about this here!" Meowykins whined.

Ignoring Meowykins, Dawn continued. "Monokuma and Meowykins were whispering to each other back at the Concert Hall, meaning Monokuma probably set Meowykins up with these files. Monokuma is trying to give us hints about our current situation, that's what I predict."

"But why would he do that?" I asked.

"He's messing with us," Dawn said. "He's a sadistic teddy bear with no recognition for human life. Don't you think that's the best option to think about right now?"

"That…makes some sense," Yujiro said. "Now we have to think about why two groups of students relate to us at all."

"They must've attended Hope's Peak Academy," Nanao observed.

"So did thousands of other students," Taikan sighed. "These guys must be related to us directly, if Dawn is right about her observations."

"Yes, it must be," Giichi said back.

"You took your headphones off?" Shina asked. "Cool."

"Haha! I wonder if Mr. Giichi is going to lose his hearing soon!" Mitsuo wondered to himself. "He should lose it soon, right?"

"Probably," Nanao replied.

"But there's one thing I still don't understand," Giichi said. "The New World Program. I wonder what that is."

"I think it's obvious that the New World Program is related to the kids is related to the other students in some way," Yujiro said. "I can't connect the dots on that though. Not until we find out what this New World Program actually is."

"Yup," Shina said. "Yahoo! We can't figure this out!"

"That's not a good thing!" Nanao snapped.

"We won't find out anything else," I said, acting abrupt and cutting everyone off from their thoughts. "I'm leaving now."

"Rumiko…" Yujiro said solemnly. "We need to think about this."

"We finished thinking," I said. "We're done here."

Leaving the hacking room, I crossed my arms together and walked outside.

I didn't… I couldn't know what this was about. It was impossible to think further about the issue, so I left.

I didn't feel like staying.

I wouldn't be staying.

I'm not going to interact with anyone… not going to… not going to…

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

I'm not going to trust anyone.

Why would I trust anyone?

My mom was killed. The person who exploited my life. I felt sad about that.

Junichi betrayed me. He was going to kill me with the rest of everyone else. I felt sad about his death.

Why am I feeling sad for the people who made my life a living hell..?

…

"_Don't you want someone to trust on?"_

…

…I remembered those words that Junichi gave me. Truth be told, I did. But now, it's too late for that. There's no one left to trust. These guys would kill me at any second. I sat on the ground, arms wrapped around my legs, placing my chin between them. I wasn't sad. That emotion got old. I've gotten used to sadness. This was a different feeling.

I'm trying to think about it. Why am I thinking about it?

No one wants to trust me anyways. I should just focus on getting out of here.

Who would want to trust me?

Who would want to befriend me?

Who would want to leave this place with me?

…Maybe, I should get out alone. Maybe I should commit a crime.

An unspeakable crime that could very well get me killed. An unspeakable crime that could get the others killed, but get me out of this place like I wanted to.

But… as I thought this, someone placed their hand on my shoulder. I turned around, and saw Yujiro smiling at me.

My eyes widened at the sight of this. Why was he here?

Why was his hand on my shoulder? Why didn't I stop this? I was just thinking about murder, yet…

Yujiro took his hand off, and walked with the others to the food court. They beckoned me to follow them, and even Mitsuo was seemingly normal for that short period of time.

I remembered Yujiro's hand on my shoulder. They walked away after I sat for a long time. I didn't get up, or make any signs of me following them. I don't know why I didn't. Why I didn't follow them.

But…

"Don't go," I whispered under my breath. A tear formed in my right eye, and I clenched my fists.

Standing up, I walked forward.

Towards them.

What a fucking card. I learned a life lesson in less than a minute.

…

"_Don't you want someone to trust on?"_

…

* * *

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

FREE-TIME

_Free-Time: Shina Wakabayashi [nominated by Ode30] _

[Is that Shina..? Why is she..?]

SHINA: Oh! Thank the lord!

SHINA: Yo! Rumiko! Help me get my ring out of the toilet!

[…Should I help?]

**YES**

NO

SHINA: You saved me! Yahoo, now I don't have to stick my hands in the crapper!  
[And I do..?!]

[I spent my time sticking my hand down the toilet.]

SHINA: Aww… we couldn't find my ring.

RUMIKO: …Don't blame me.

SHINA: I don't.

SHINA: I blame myself!

SHINA: I'm all like, what the fuck, Shina?

SHINA: And my brain is all like, what the fuck, Shina, back to me!

SHINA: How could I be so clumsy in dropping my ring down the toilet?

SHINA: WHAT THE FUCK SHINA?!

RUMIKO: I don't think you should curse at yourself.

SHINA: I…know…

SHINA: But oh! How I will miss that ring!

SHINA: I'm running out! I only have 663 rings left in my ring collection!

RUMIKO: T-that many…

SHINA: That one was a rare collector's item from the Magical GirlxPokoyo set! I could've sold it for more than I bought it, if I didn't drop it down the toilet..!

RUMIKO: Probably not your biggest concern right now.

SHINA: Hmm?

RUMIKO: We're… stuck in a mall, remember?

SHINA: …

SHINA: …Oh. I… get what you're saying…

SHINA: I could've gone to a pawn shop! I could've gotten this ring pawned from Day One!

SHINA: What the fuck, Shina?!

RUMIKO: That's not my point.

SHINA: Eh?

RUMIKO: Um… we're in a Battle Royale style mall.

SHINA: Battle Royale…

SHINA: What is Battle Royale?

RUMIKO: …

[…Sigh.]

**Kids have to kill each other.**

Kids have to love each other.

Kids have to buy presents for each other.

RUMIKO: You've never heard of Battle Royale?

RUMIKO: Teenagers and kids like us are forced to kill each other.

SHINA: Oh… so we're in a Battle Royale situation, huh?

SHINA: I knew that!

RUMIKO: …I know.

RUMIKO: But that moment… how could you forget?

SHINA: …Hmm!

SHINA: Who knows!

SHINA: I don't.

SHINA: Yup!

SHINA: Woo!

SHINA: Shina Wakabayashi is tired now!

SHINA: Shina Wakabayashi would like to take a nap now!

SHINA: Shina Wakabayashi says goodbye now!

RUMIKO: …Uh, okay.

RUMIKO: Why are you talking in third person?

SHINA: Shina Wakabayashi doesn't know what you mean!

SHINA: Shina Wakabayashi is going away now!

SHINA: Bye now!

RUMIKO: …Bye.

[Shina is one strange person. It seems like… there's something more to her though? I don't exactly know… She started to enter a form of denial when I was talking about that moment… how she forgot about things like this.]

RUMIKO: Oh well.

[We must've gotten a little closer though.]

* * *

_Free Time: Taikan Hiraga [chosen randomly]_

TAIKAN: I miss the fumes of plane fuel.

TAIKAN: It smelled so bad.

[Why would you miss it then?]

TAIKAN: Oh well…is something on your mind, Rumiko?

[…Should I ask Taikan to hang out?]

**YES**

NO

TAIKAN: Sure, where do you want to go?

[I hung out with Taikan.]

TAIKAN: Hee! You're a nice person, Rumiko!

TAIKAN: For someone as emotionless as you, I mean.

RUMIKO: Uh…

TAIKAN: Whoops! No, I didn't mean that as an insult!

RUMIKO: …That's okay.

TAIKAN: But still, you know.

TAIKAN: You remind me of someone.

RUMIKO: Who?

TAIKAN: …

TAIKAN: Oh, I don't know.

TAIKAN: I know there's someone I knew a long time ago.

TAIKAN: Like a kid with your same personality.

TAIKAN: But I forgot about her. Oh well.

RUMIKO: …You're just going to say oh well?

TAIKAN: Well, yeah.

TAIKAN: I've tried to remember her, I did.

TAIKAN: But I forgot.

TAIKAN: Must've meant she wasn't very important?

TAIKAN: I don't know, that sounds wrong to say.

TAIKAN: …Just, oh well.

RUMIKO: …

RUMIKO: I hope you get to remember her, at some point.

TAIKAN: …Me too.

[I didn't learn much… but Taikan seems nice. He's having some trouble remembering the name of a girl though. I don't know why it bugs me a little. But I've gotten a little closer to Taikan, I think.]

* * *

_**-End Freetime-**_

_Music halts_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention everyone_!" Played Monokuma's voice through the PA. _"It is now 10:00 PM! Nighttime has begun! The water is now shut off and some stores are closed and off limits. Well, then, sweet dreams…"_

…I guess the others didn't finish with Monokuma yet?

It's been awhile since I've heard about them.

Though I probably shouldn't worry. Monokuma wouldn't kill them directly. Otherwise, there was no point to this game.

With that thought, I went to sleep, feeling a little uneasy about everything. I didn't find out much today… but… I think I made a few friends.

Which was good.

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Two | Day Five**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys! It is now 7:00 AM! Rise and shiiineee! Let's make today the best day it can be!"_

Waking up to Monokuma's morning announcement, I got dressed, and walked down to the food court. The people that were hacking with me were there, except none of the people that went to Monokuma was. That was… odd. I'd expect them to of been finished by now.

"Good morning," Yujiro said.

"We've got big news!" Shina said, excitedly. "Our first paycheck!"

"Paycheck?" I asked, confused.

"Meowykins forgot to give us our Meow Bucks," Nanao said. "So he gave us our fifty Meow Bucks today."

"He also gave us fifty more for the others working with Monokuma," Giichi said. "We can open up a new store, if we'd like."

"I know the perfect place to open," Dawn said.

"…Which is?" Yujiro asked politely.

Dawn didn't respond, and she got up on the table.

_Soundtrack: Mr. Monokuma's Extracurricular Lesson_

"WE ARE GOING TO OPEN THE SHOWER SHOP!" Dawn screamed. "THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS TO THE FACT THAT WE WILL OPEN THE SHOWER SHOP!"

"A-AH! W-what?! Scary!" Mitsuo shuddered.

"I HAVE NOT TAKEN A SHOWER FOR FIVE DAYS. THE SHOWER SHOP HAS A FUNCTIONING SHOWER. SO WE WILL OPEN THE SHOWER SHOP. IN ADDITION, THERE IS SOAP, SHAMPOO, AND MANY BEAUTIFUL TOILETS."

"B-beautiful?" Taikan stammered.

"T-that's a good suggestion, but we could tone it down a little," Yujiro stuttered.

"NONSENSE. I WILL COMMAND LEADER OF OUR SHOWERSHIP."

"T-the hell is showership?" I muttered.

"THE SHOWER SHOP IS ONLY A MEASLY 85 MEOW BUCKS."

"T-that's most of our savings!" Nanao protested.

"WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTINUE WITHOUT A SHOWER TO USE? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE A SHOWER NOW? I FOR ONE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A SHOWER RIGHT THIS VERY INSTANT. I FEEL LIKE I'VE BEEN CLOAKED WITH WINNIE THE POOH."

"Um! He's not a Japanese reference we should use..!" Shina pointed out.

"I DON'T KNOW ANY," Dawn announced, and she got off the table, finishing her frightening command.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

"So, shall we go to the shower shop?" Dawn asked, calming down almost instantly.

"Y-yeah," Taikan said. "I would've wanted to buy that even if you didn't ask us like that."

"B-but, next time, we should try and be a little… calmer," Yujiro suggested.

"False, I was completely calm," Dawn said. "Now let us head to the shower shop."

Following Dawn's command, we all headed for the shower shop with her in lead.

* * *

_**Location: Entrance to the Shower Shop | Time: 7:31 AM | Chapter Two | Day Five**_

Coming across the entrance to the shower shop, it was all gated up with a metal fence. There was a money slot near the entrance – similar to the ones you find on vending machines. Dawn inserted the two $50 Meow Bucks, and $15 came back in change. The metal gate immediately opened up, and we all ran inside.

"At last! I can take a shower!" Dawn announced, beginning to strip off her clothes.

"Uh, hold on," Giichi said, stopping all of us. "There's only one shower, you know."

"O-one?" Shina said. "I don't want to wait to take my shower!"

"I will go first!" Dawn screamed. "You will wait for me in privacy! You will all walk outside and wait for me in privacy! I predict that I will go first! I am right seventy percent of the time!"

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Nonsense," Monokuma said, popping in. "I'm a bear, so I should go first."

"You're a stuffed doll!" Mitsuo complained. "Let me go first!"

"Wait, if you're here…" I observed.

"Is this a shower?!" Miyoko said, running into the store. "H-how honorable!"

"Hello, Miyoko!" Taikan greeted with giddy.

"Oh, hello, Taikan!" Miyoko said, returning the favor.

"Get a room!" Mitsuo screamed. "I'm going first!"

"I'll fucking kill you all if I don't go first," Etsuya threatened, running in.

"Oh! It's the crazy!" Shina said.

"I-I-I could go last if you want," Tatsuya said nervously. "I don't want this fighting."

Monokuma silenced all of us and commanded us outside. We were waiting outside for the others to arrive, and as everyone came, they each were incredibly excited to use the shower.

"There's only one shower..!" Lucy said regrettably. "Let me use it first..!"

"I know how we could solve this predicament," Monokuma said. "Let's hold a **race!**"

"A race?" I asked. "Why?"

"Well, first, we'd get all sweaty, and we'd enjoy our shower more," Monokuma said. "See, I'm helping you guys here!"

"Why do you need to take a shower?" Yujiro asked. "You can just teleport to that shower room whenever you want, can't you?"

"…Poopy," Monokuma sighed. "You caught me."

"Perhaps a race is a good idea though," Dawn said. "I can use my telekinetic powers to win this race, and use the shower first."

"I thought you didn't have any actual powers," I sighed.

"You can use anything you want too," Monokuma said. "If you guys had a sports car, I would say, feel free to run over the others and use it! But if you kill someone, that's illegal."

"So are we doing this..?" Miyoko asked with excitement. "I am an honorable knight..! I will beat all of you and go first!"

"Hold the fucking door," Etsuya said. "I'll be right back."

Etsuya left, and we all aligned ourselves were Monokuma told us to. There was another fountain in front of the store, as well as another one at the other end of the mall. We all lined ourselves up and planned to run to the end of the shower store in a small 100m sprint. I just realized something, though…

"Wait a minute," I said to Monokuma. "I can't run."

"…Oh," Monokuma said. "I forgot. My fool proof pacemaker doesn't alleviate your running problem, does it?"

"I-It's not fool proof if it can't even do that!" Tatsuya said.

"Hey! She can go near fucking magnets now!" Monokuma said angrily. "I think that's a job well done!"

"Anyways, does that mean I go last..?"

"No, I think we should all be fair and let Rumiko use it first," Yujiro said. "We can use the shower in the order we win after we're done."

"…That would be the fair thing to do," Miyoko said.

"I-I could speedwalk," I offered. "I don't want to be handicapped like this."

"Do not feel ashamed," Miyoko said. "Being handicapped only means that you are a little weaker."

"That is shameful though," I sighed.

"Anyways, here's how this will work," Monokuma announced, cutting me off. "The first person to reach the finish line, which will be judged by me, will be allowed to use the shower first, after Rumiko! Second place goes second, third place goes third, and so on and so forth. Sounds good?"

"Sounds great," Nanao said. "I'm a track runner, you all forgot that, didn't you?"

"Oh crap!" Shina growled. "I forgot that Nanao was a track runner! Nanao, we're friends though! Go easy on me!"

"Not even for you!" Nanao yelled wildly. "I'll take use of that porcelain beauty right after Rumiko goes!"

I stood on the sidelines with Monokuma to watch the others. Etsuya arrived back, with a skateboard, and laughed wildly.

"I'm going to fucking beat all of you with this!" Etsuya said.

"You don't have kneepads?" Yujiro asked.

"I forgot them back at the antique store," Etsuya said. "Doesn't matter though. I haven't slipped up in so long..! I'm not going to mess up here!"

"Ready…" Monokuma started. I saw everyone getting ready to sprint. "Get set…" They were getting feisty… "GO!"

The others sprinted out in a hurry. Calling it as I saw it, Etsuya looked like he had a steady lead with his skateboard. He was flying past the others at an incredible speed. Nanao and Yujiro were basically head to toe with each other, and Miyoko was closely following behind. Those four seemed to be closing the gap between first and fourth place, while everyone else was lingering behind. Eventually, Etsuya reached the end, and he jumped up and down celebrating his victory.

"You fuckers!" he laughed. "I'm faster than all of you, aren't I?"

Yujiro sped past Nanao and landed second place, while Nanao got third.

"H-how did I lose..?" Nanao muttered. "I'm a track runner…"

"D-don't feel bad, Nanao," Yujiro comforted. "You're still third place. That's still very impressive!"

"…I'm a track runner though," Nanao whined.

While Yujiro was comforting Nanao, Miyoko finished in fourth place, Teruyo and Are coming close with each other in fifth and sixth place.

"Fourth place is rather good," Miyoko said to Nanao. "That means you should be proud to have gotten third place amongst these talented students."

"I-I know," she whimpered.

"Yujiro, want to go to the winners circle?" Teruyo asked seductively.

"N-no thank you," he responded.

Tatsuya came in seventh, and he seemed excited to have gotten a semi-decent placing. Giichi came in eighth place, headphones strapped tightly on his ears. He didn't seem to care at all. The others came in pursuit, and eventually, everyone finished, with Taikan in last place.

"H-how could I get last place..?" he said discouraged.

"D-do not feel bad, Taikan," Miyoko said. "It is just a race. The honor of someone isn't measured by their physical strength…"

"Though it's a biiiig part!" Mitsuo retorted.

"I have done poorly," Hideyoshi grimaced. "I must train myself for the future! I must physically adapt myself into a fighting being!"

"While you do that, let me post the results in front of the shower shop," Monokuma said. "Let's see…"

_**Shower Order List:**_

1: Rumiko (handicapped)

2: Etsuya

3: Yujiro

4: Nanao

5: Miyoko

6: Teruyo

7: Are

8: Tatsuya

9: Giichi

10: Lucy

11: Shina

12: Hideyoshi

13: Mitsuo

14: Dawn

15: Taikan

"There you have it folks!" Monokuma said. "This is the order that you guys will have to follow for today and the future! Unless someone dies of course!"

"W-wait a minute," Taikan muttered. "I have to go last every time..?"

"You know it," Monokuma said. "You should've done better! Feel ashamed!"

I looked at Dawn. Her face was grim, and she wasn't moving a muscle.

"U-uh, I know you wanted to shower first," I said. "But you shouldn't really worry about it that much."

She looked at me, her eyes bulging, and she waved her hands around me as if she were placing a curse. She walked away – you could see steam fleeing her ears.

"Mitsuo, I'm surprised you didn't place higher," Nanao said. "As an archer, don't you have to like, jump on trees and stuff? Like Robin Hood?"

"I didn't feel like running," Mitsuo yawned. "I'm just a little kid, you know."

"W-well, appearance wise, yeah," Nanao said.

"Besides, I can wait to take a shower," Mitsuo said. "My family has natural body cleanliness."

"No one wanted to know that!" Shina laughed.

I looked around at everyone laughing and talking. I know that I should probably participate, but… this was good. We were having fun, so, there was no doubt in my mind that no one would die again. Wasn't that right?

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Anyways, it was time for my shower.

I went up to the entrance, and smiled at the thought of taking a wash for the first time in five days. I was about to head inside, but…

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Yo Rumiko! I forgot to tell you something!" Monokuma said, raising his hand.

"…What?" I asked bluntly.

"Why so quick to get to the point?" Monokuma asked. "I wanted to talk to you… bear to girl, you know? B-but, you're rude…"

"…What?" I asked again.

"Fine," Monokuma sighed. "I forgot to show you this shower monitor."

"What the hell is that?" I asked.

"You see this air conditioner controller looking thingy?" Monokuma asked.

"Can you not find the word, thermometer?" I asked.

"Oh yeah, thermometer!" Monokuma said excitedly. "Anyways, this looks like a thermometer, right? But it's actually a shower monitor. It shows how many times the shower has been turned on and off today."

"What's the point of that?" I asked.

"Well, you see, I expected something like this might happen," Monokuma explained. "So I created an anti-cheat method. If someone was supposed to go after you, but they go before you, then the shower monitor should reflect that."

"What was the point of telling me though?" I asked. "I'm going first anyways."

"W-well, what if Yujiro goes before you?" Monokuma asked. "You can walk in on him you know, and that's rude."

"I don't want to think about that," I sighed. "Besides, what's the point of it anyways?"

"Hmm?"

"It doesn't tell you who went, so there's no telling who used it before you or not," I said. "It's useless."

Monokuma didn't respond, and only looked at me. Finally, he raised his arms up, and started screeching at me.

"Damn it, Rumiko!" he yelled. "You ruined my dream! My state of the art invention is now ruined because of your poor imagination! Fine! Be that way! Bye now, you meanie! Enjoy your extremely cold water! Or hot water! The plumbing sucks here!"

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Happy that Monokuma had disappeared, I headed into the shower, and stayed in there for who knows how long. After leaving, I cleaned up, dried my hair, and headed outside. I looked at the shower monitor to see if Monokuma was telling the truth, and sure enough, the counter was at "1," meaning it's been used once. I headed to the food court where everyone was waiting.

"I'm finished," I told Yujiro. "You could use it now."

"You look happy," Yujiro said. "Glad you got clean?"

I nodded, trying not to crack a smile, and took a seat.

"Tch," Etsuya sighed. "Don't be fucking dumb. Forgot about me, huh?"

"Oh, Etsuya," I said. "I didn't want to think about you, so I went straight to Yujiro."

"Don't be sassy, bitch," Etsuya said. "Your fucking heart might not be able to take it if I beat you to a pulp, you know?"

"Sure," I said. "Whatever."

"Wow, Etsuya! You're really mean today!" Mitsuo observed. "Haha! Maybe some of the devils from the underworld will offer you as a sacrifice to my mommy's cult!"

"Y-your mom is a part of the cult?" Taikan asked nervously.

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

"Ha, the devils would look up to me as a king!" Etsuya laughed. "You-you're just a fucking weirdo who goes through weird personality changes all the time!"

"W-well," Mitsuo started. "I can't really help that…I've been diagnosed with this personality disorder since I was a baby… but so what?"

"So what?" Etsuya laughed. "So what as in you're a freaking freak, you dumbass!"

"W-well, you're no better yourself!" Mitsuo fought back. "You're a mean creep! At least I try to control my personalities…"

"You do?" Teruyo asked.

"It's not that easy!" Mitsuo complained. "It's hard to keep this so called good personality in check…I keep switching rapidly and it's not funny business, Etsuya!"

"Of course not!" he retorted. "It's fucking mean, huh? I laugh at people like you! And Teruyo! The fuck's the matter with you?"

"What was that?" Teruyo asked Etsuya.

"Don't act like you don't know," he said. "You're the queen of sluts, yeah?

"Excuse me?"

"You rub up against any man you see," Etsuya laughed. "Don't you think that's odd? That at every man you see, you want to have sex with? Isn't that strange? Only the queen of sluts can do that!"

"W-why you," Teruyo growled. "I can't help my feministic hormones..!"

"None of the girls here are as slutty as you!" Etsuya retorted. "You can't deny this..!"

"Why are you doing this?" Taikan asked.

"And you, you lame as fuck pilot," Etsuya said. "You're so weird, you know that? You make some smart observations and some nice speeches and that's cool and all, but then again, you like to fuck with yourself and go back on everything you do! It's weird, huh? A lack of self-confidence means that you're fucking weak! You weak as fuck fucker, haha! I love cursing, you know?"

"I don't care what you say about me," Taikan said. "But…you're being a little too cruel. Pointing out everyone's flaws like that…"

"I haven't pointed out everyone's," Etsuya laughed. "Just the elephants in the room! I'm not finished yet either! Giichi, you're going to fucking blow out your ears! Shina, stop injecting yourself with adrenaline!** Rumiko, get a life!** I hate people like you who shallows in their fame."

What..?!

"I shallow in my fame?!" I yelled. "I hate how my life has been exploited to the world! You shallow in your fame too! Skateboarding on TV like you're helping the world or something, except you're not!"

"Want to say that to my face..?" Etsuya said angrily.

"I'd love to," I said. Skittering the chair across the room, I slammed my head into his face, headbutting him, and yelled. "You're a fucking idiot."

_Music halts_

Etsuya stared at me, his eyes bulging with anger. I had just hit Etsuya in the face as hard as I could. My forehead was rubbing with flashes of pain, but I didn't care. It felt good to hit Etsuya like that.

"W-we should all calm down," Yujiro said. "We need to—"

"Why do you always persist on us calming down?" I asked, exhausted by his attitude. "Someone died because of this guy's torment..! I think it's a miracle that we haven't just killed him ourselves!"

"R-Rumiko, I think—"

"Forget it," I interrupted. "Etsuya, you'd better stay away from me."

Etsuya looked at me with extreme anger, and walked away to the shower room.

"I'm not wrong," he called out. "Each and every one of you acts a certain way, and it's fucking scary sometimes."

And Etsuya was gone.

_Soundtrack: Re Beautiful Morning_

Free-Time

_Free Time: Miyoko Furisawa (nominated by Ode30) | Second Free Time Event with Miyoko_

[Miyoko is standing by the windows and looking outside…]

MIYOKO: The breeze outside looks so peaceful… I wish I could step outside for once.

[Should I ask Miyoko to hang out?]

**YES**

NO

MIYOKO: Very well. I shall amend my schedule for you.

[I hung out with Miyoko at the food court.]

MIYOKO: …

RUMIKO: …

[God, not this silence again.]

RUMIKO: S-so, about that past of yours…

MIYOKO: I'm still not ready to tell you.

RUMIKO: Got it.

MIYOKO: However, if it's not rude of me to ask…

RUMIKO: What is it?

MIYOKO: This is very contradictory coming from me… but I'd like to know about your past, Rumiko.

RUMIKO: Mine?

MIYOKO: Your life has been broadcast on TV. You are rich and famous.

MIYOKO: Surely you are happy.

RUMIKO: No… I hated it.

MIYOKO: You did?

RUMIKO: Because of my fame, I was bullied a lot.

RUMIKO: …I had no friends either.

MIYOKO: …That was because of your TV career?

RUMIKO: It's hardly a career.

MIYOKO: I…see.

MIYOKO: You do not care for fame and fortune, hmm?

RUMIKO: Not the way I was raised.

MIYOKO: Alright…

MIYOKO: It appears that I might have judged your character wrongly.

RUMIKO: Um…

MIYOKO: I cannot tell you more about my past now.

MIYOKO: But perhaps… in the future, I can give you a little information.

RUMIKO: Okay…

MIYOKO: For now, I bid you farewell.

[I still didn't find out much about Miyoko, but it seems like that she found more about me. Her wanting to know about me… does it mean that we're getting closer?]

_Free Time: Hideyoshi Nakamoto (chosen randomly)_

[Hideyoshi is drawing something on a notepad.]

HIDEYOSHI: Ah! If it isn't our damsel in distress!

HIDEYOSHI: If you wish, we can roleplay! I'll be the heroic prince!

[Should I roleplay with Hideyoshi?]

**YES**

NO

HIDEYOSHI: Fantastic..! We shall start right away!

[I "roleplayed" with Hideyoshi.]

HIDEYOSHI: Rumiko! Since you have come to me, it appears that I will have to get to know you better!

RUMIKO: Um…

HIDEYOSHI: If we are going to pursue this relationship any further, it is natural to know the instincts and natures of your partner, is it not?

RUMIKO: …What are you getting at?

HIDEYOSHI: Hmm? Have you not come to me to start a monogamous relationship?

RUMIKO: W-what the hell..? I just…wanted to hang out with someone.

HIDEYOSHI: …

HIDEYOSHI: So you haven't come to make love to me, have you?

[What the fuck is this guy's deal?]

HIDEYOSHI: Alright then… if we are going to start a friendship…

HIDEYOSHI: It shall be monogamous!

RUMIKO: There's no such thing as a monogamous friendship.

HIDEYOSHI: Nonsense! Our bonds will be strong! We will not falter!

RUMIKO: …

HIDEYOSHI: Ha! Let me be frank, my dear! You will only need me and me only, as a friend!

HIDEYOSHI: You will not require anyone else, do you hear me?

RUMIKO: Loud and clear.

HIDEYOSHI: Excellent!

RUMIKO: So I guess we can't be friends.

HIDEYOSHI: H-hmm?

HIDEYOSHI: You do not wish to know the mathematics involving my animation inquiries?

RUMIKO: …No.

RUMIKO: I wanted to see if you were going to hang out.

RUMIKO: But I guess not.

HIDEYOSHI: Y-you will regret this, Rumiko Funabashi!

HIDEYOSHI: I will make you mine!

[Hideyoshi ran away, screaming "you'll see" as he did. In any case, he didn't make his feelings towards me vague. I don't know what just happened between the two of us, but… it's not like I'll ever have to go through it again.]

* * *

_**-End Freetime—**_

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 9:03 PM | Chapter Two | Day Five**_

Only an hour left until nighttime… huh?

I guess I should…

"RUMIKO!"

"W-what is it?" I asked, turning around. Taikan ran towards me and pointed in the direction of the shower angrily.

"Dawn's been in the shower room for a freak amount of time! Get her out of there!"

"W-why me?"

"Because you're a girl," he responded. "I'm a guy, so it would be rude to walk in with her naked."

"I-it doesn't make it any less rude for me to," I said. "Just wait a little longer."

"It's been like two hours," he whined. "Just get her out..!"

"Fine, fine!" I said.

The two of us walked towards the shower room, Taikan running his mouth like a motor and talking to me about a bunch of random stuff. On the way, I saw Etsuya walking back to the dormitories – covered in dirt. He was holding a key in his hand, and he ventured off.

"Did you see that?" I asked Taikan.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Etsuya was walking back to his dorm," I said.

"So?"

"He was extremely dirty and he was holding a gold key," I said.

"…I don't know," Taikan sighed. "Maybe he's trying to get out or something."

"…Maybe," I said. "I hope it isn't anything…"

"...How long did you see Dawn was in there?" I asked.

_Music halts_

"…About two hours," Taikan said.

_Soundtrack: DISTRUST_

…

"W-we should hurry," I said. "Maybe..!"

"What are you saying?" Taikan said, worrisome. "There's no reason anyone would die!"

"Still..!" I said.

I hurried to the shower room, Taikan hot on my trial. He was calling out for me to wait for him – telling me to calm down, but I didn't take any risks.

The clear windows to the shower room were covered with black wallpaper.

Why would there be black wallpaper? Unless…

I shook the doors, and Taikan looked at me in fear.

"The doors are locked..!" I called out. "Dawn is in there!"

Taikan ran to my side, and he tried opening it. No budge.

"Damn it," he said. "You don't think..?"

The two of us slammed on the doors, trying to force it open. I could feel the doors move, except something was blocking it on the inside.

"W-what the..!"

"We need to hurry," Taikan said, slamming the doors some more.

"Should we get help?" I asked, panicking.

"Don't bother," Taikan said. "We need to check quickly! We need to..!"

That final slam did it. The doors busted wide open, and we could see the insides of the shower room completely. Inside… there was a truly ominous sight to be seen.

_Music halts_

"…Dawn?"

"What are you doing?"

_Soundtrack: A Dead End to the Ocean's Aroma_

When we barged into the shower, Dawn was sitting on the floor. She was kneeling down inside a circle of candles, herself seemingly praying.

"Rumiko…is that you?" Dawn asked.

"Y-yeah," I said. "Why are you..?"

"…Guess I was caught," Dawn said.

Dawn got up, and stepped outside the circles of candles, brightly lit. Dawn's eyes were bloodshot, and her face seemed dry. I could see tears forming from her eyes, dripping slower and slower.

"I apologize," Dawn said. "I was holding an annual memorial for my brother."

"Y-your brother?" I said.

"Yes," Dawn said. "He was killed when he was eight. I was only nine. He died on September 16th, like today, yet I didn't have time to prepare a memorial for him. It shames me greatly."

"A-annual, huh?" Taikan asked.

"Our family holds it every year. Yet I couldn't make it because of my admittance to Hope's Peak. I had brought candles with me to hold a memorial inside my dormitory, yet we were brought here, and my candles were gone."

"…Is that why you wanted to open the shower room first?" I asked.

"Yes," Dawn responded. "I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to take a shower. But the most important fact was that I had missed my brother's memorial. So I will honor him wherever I go. Yet, it is not ruined."

"Why?" I asked.

"It's a family tradition," Dawn started, "that no one can witness you during this memorial except for the people participating. This is because we want to reserve that time to honor our deceased. Yet, now that you arrived… I have been interrupted."

"…I'm sorry," Taikan said. "I was… worried since you wouldn't come out for a long time."

"It does not matter," Dawn said. "It wasn't the smartest place to do our memorial in. I should've done it after I showered. In my dormitory."

_Soundtrack: All All Apologies_

"I could not honor my brother this year," Dawn said sadly. "It shames me greatly."

Taikan and I looked at each other. Dawn was stepped back into the circle of candles, and sat down, her legs crossed.

"I-it doesn't have to be ruined," Taikan said. "We can all… do the memorial with you, right?"

"What was that?"

"The rule was that the memorial will be ruined if the focus was placed on the people not participating. But if we participate during this memorial, we can honor your brother together, right?"

"…You do not get it," Dawn said. "The memorial is now ruined."

"Why do you have to follow a tradition?" I asked, sighing. "The point of a mourning is to honor and miss your loved ones. You can break tradition for one year as long as you want to tell your brother than you miss him."

Taikan and Dawn looked at me, and I stepped in the circle with Dawn. I closed my eyes, and clasped my hands together.

"We could just pray for him," I said. "That will be enough."

I started praying for Dawn's brother – and the lives of everyone lost. Finishing my prayer, I opened my eyes, and saw Taikan and Dawn praying beside me.

Taikan finished his prayer, and the two of us looked at Dawn. She was moving her mouth – speaking entirely of prayer, and we decided to let her be alone. We walked back to the dormitory, and Taikan sighed.

"I'll just take a shower tomorrow," he said.

I nodded, and the two of us walked in silence to the dormitories. When I got to mine, I lay down in my bed, and I closed my eyes shut, tightly.

_Music halts_

* * *

_**Location: Rumiko's Bedroom | Time: 7:00 AM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention, you guys! It is now 7:00 AM! Rise and shiiine! Let's make today the best day it can be!"_

I opened my eyes to the distasteful alarm known as Monokuma, and I stepped outside. Everyone was getting up and taking the elevator. I followed suit, and we all headed to the food court like tradition. I noticed Etsuya wasn't here, but it wasn't like I cared much at all.

We all got breakfast, and while we were eating, we were talking to each other. Talking to each other about rather random things. Until…

_Soundtrack: AoE Suite Second Movement 5P+3P_

"Howdy, y'all!" Meowykins said, landing on our table. "How are we doing this morning?"

"Fine," I said. "Go away."

"W-wow, you're getting colder by the minute," Meowykins muttered. "Meow…"

"I know," I said. "Let's shut up now and talk about what we need to. What did you come here for?"

"Well then," Meowykins said. "Monokuma said he would like something to show you at the concert hall. People who didn't hack with me will know what I mean..!"

"What was that?" Yujiro asked. "Miyoko?"

"I… do know what he is talking about," Miyoko said. "However, it posed no problem to me and everyone else, so we decided not to concern you."

"Anyways, you guys better hurry," Meowykins said. "I have to go ahead and find Etsuya! Bye, meow!"

_Soundtrack: Despair Syndrome_

"W-what was that?" Shina asked.

"We shouldn't wait to find out, let's got to the concert hall quickly," Yujiro said.

Yujiro walked to the concert hall, and we all followed, worried about what was to come.

* * *

_**Location: Concert Hall | Time: 7:41 AM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

We entered the concert hall, and we waited for the longest time for Monokuma to arrive. Sitting down in a seat for half an hour was painful, especially when there was nothing to see. I looked around, and observed that Etsuya hadn't arrived yet. Could it be…

Though, my thoughts were interrupted when Etsuya walked into the concert hall, and sat down at the far side of the room, away from everyone else. With everyone here, Monokuma suddenly arrived, calling for us to look at him.

"Hello! Hola! Bonjour! It's me, Monokuma!"

We all looked at Monokuma with confusion as he took out a notepad, and held it out for everyone to see.

"Can everyone see this?" Monokuma asked. "If you can't, feel free to move up."

I looked at the notepad, and there was a sketch on it. There were fifteen students in a car, and there was a baby lying down on the road.

"What is this?" I asked.

"Just watch!" Monokuma said.

He flipped through the book, and I realized that it was one of those cartoons where you flip through a bunch of pages to see an animation take place. A flipbook was what it was called, I think. I looked closely, and the car was driving slowly and slowly, towards the baby who was still on the road. The car sped up, and very quickly ran the baby over. Soon, the pages were stained with a red color, and then the animation ended, leaving us highly confused.

"Was that supposed to be a motive?" I asked.

"You're so bright, Rumiko," Monokuma swooned. "Well? How was that guys? Doesn't the sight of a baby dying just intrigue you?"

"…No," I called out.

"Yeah, this is rather stupid," Shina said.

"Rather stupid?" Etsuya asked. "That's not nearly enough. This motive is a complete fuckstorm of stupidity."

"Clever wordplay aside, how dare you mock my motive?" Monokuma asked. "You worked on this with me anyways."

"That was what you worked on?" Yujiro asked. "This motive?"

"W-we didn't know," Lucy protested.

"It wasn't clear what it was," Are said, backing Lucy up.

"W-w-w-what stupidity," Tatsuya said, giggling.

"Hmm?! What was that?!" Monokuma asked.

Monokuma walked up to Tatsuya, and pointed his paw him.

"I'm a little tired of you, you know that?"

_Soundtrack: DISTRUST_

Monokuma punched Tatsuya in the face, and proceeded to beat him up. Tatsuya was screaming with agony, and we all watched with horror spread on our faces as Tatsuya was beat senseless. Yujiro ran over and tried to stop Monokuma, but Monokuma refused to stop himself.

"What is going on here?!" asked a familiar voice. We turned around, and saw Monomi running up the stairs. "Tatsuya-kun!"

"Go away, annoying sister!" Monokuma demanded. "This is between me and him!"

"I said I was sorry!" Tatsuya cried.

"No! This is a violation of the wules!" Monomi protested. "You have to stop this!"

Monokuma and Monomi stared each other down, and Monokuma finally cracked.

"Oh, all right," he sighed. "Mark my words, Tatsuya, I will get you eventually!"

Monokuma left, and Tatsuya held his arm in pain. Yujiro took it, and felt around. He pressed down, and Tatsuya moaned in pain.

"How could a doll do that much damage?" Lucy asked.

"S-shut up!" Tatsuya said. "It hurts! That doll has metal paws or something!"

"M-metal paws?" I asked.

"Oh my," Monomi worried. "We need to get Tatsuya to the infirmary right away!"

We lifted Tatsuya in our arms, except Etsuya, and we all took Tatsuya to the infirmary.

"I'll treat him when we get there," Yujiro said. "You guys should just wait."

Tatsuya was taken to the hospital in a daze, and we were all left exasperated over the whole thing. What just happened was incredibly weird and strange.

* * *

_**Location: The Food Court | Time: 6:55 PM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

I had just left the food court to go check up on Tatsuya. Everyone had already gone back to their dormitories, except me. I was worried about Tatsuya and Yujiro. I didn't want anything bad to happen to them.

I walked forward, and saw Etsuya, once again. His clothes and face were once again dirty, and he was holding the same metal key as last time. Not paying much attention to this, I headed towards Tatsuya. When I walked in, Tatsuya was sleeping on his bed, and Yujiro had gone.

"That's strange," I sighed.

I headed outside, and noticed the door to the roof was open. Intrigued, I walked up onto the roof, and saw that even the roof was fenced. Sighing, I walked down back onto the main floor. It was then that Yujiro was standing by Tatsuya, panicked. Yujiro woke Tatsuya up, and Yujiro yelled something at Tatsuya. The two of them ran towards the bath store. How long was I up on the roof? Like, six minutes? I walked towards the two of them, and stopped in my tracks.

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

"_Attention! A corpse has been found! We're going to start a class trial very soon, so please investigate to the best of your abilities!"_

**===MONOKUMA THEATRE==**

#3

MONOKUMA: Some people are hopelessly strange.

MONOKUMA: I once knew a fellow who would walk home on the same bridge on the same day.

MONOKUMA: Monday at 5:29 PM was his schedule.

MONKOUMA: One day though, he jumped off the bridge, and fell into the rocks below.

MONOKUMA: That was a plot twist, I tell you!

**(AN: Hope you liked this update! I rushed the end again, which can't really be helped if you know my personality…but I haven't updated in such a long time, so I felt like I needed to finish it. Hopefully I can finish Chapter Two by next week, or maybe earlier. Anyways, who do you think died? I think it might be sort of obvious but who knows?)**


	10. An Update

Hi there!

Sorry for not uploading lately. I just wanted to update this story for people following this, but truth be told, I've been caught up with so many things. School is the big part, but I also got a PS Vita to play Persona 4 so that doesn't help either, lol.

Don't be alarmed at the current lack of chapters because I'll update eventually. Life has been real busy so far though, so I really haven't had time. I'll try to finish Chapter 2 by this weekend (though no guarantees.)

Sorry!


	11. Chapter Two: Investigation

**(AN: Hello! This investigation is quite short considering the time I got to work on it, but piecing together the crime was tougher than I thought – even if I did already plan it out.**

**Ode30 – I like Nanami too..! Thank you for the review!  
**

**FuyuhikoKuzuryuu – I wonder what Usami does? I hope she'll have a good role, since I've sort of ignored her up until now. Or did I? Oh never mind.**

**FateOblivion – Bloodier? I'll consider it, haha. Thanks for the review!) **

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO**

Investigation

Abnormal Days

_Friction in a Group of Despair_

_The Bully and its Prey_

_**Location: The Fountain (in front of Bath Shop) | Time: 7:10 PM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

I went as fast as I could to where Yujiro and Tatsuya were headed. It flashed by me so quickly. A dead body was found right then and there… it was the body of **Etsuya Yamamura.**

Etsuya…how I have mixed feelings over this. He was a shitty asshole, but I couldn't say in good heart that he deserved to die. No one here deserved to die. Etsuya just became another victim. It was sort of ironic. Junichi killed himself, and now we have to expect that Etsuya had been killed too. Did he kill himself? Did someone actually murder him this time? This is something I didn't want to think about or consider. It was absolute terror.

When I discovered his body, I found him and his face planted deep into the fountain. The rest of his body loosely fell over the fountain's edge. In addition to all of this, his skateboard was near his body, as well as a tire popper, and some blood on the floor. It did look like a murder. But I couldn't have been so positive if it was or not. I mean…Junichi made his death look like a murder too, so the possibility still remains for that.

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

"Wow! Good job, you guys!" Monokuma exclaimed. "You guys did it again! Another slamming murder! Woohoo! My adrenaline was running the whole time while I was watching the whole thing!"

"You mean you witnessed this as it happened?" Dawn asked.

"Yes, indeed!" Monokuma said. "That's how I figured out Junichi's murder too, you know."

"You're terrible," Tatsuya growled. "Y-y-you're watching all of this, like our lives are just a game!"

"But life is a game!" Monokuma said. "But it's a game that you can never win. All of our lives will reach a game over sign when we reach our deaths… Etsuya just happened to lose this game early. It's just life. It's how it works, and it's not always fair."

"You really are terrible," I said to him.

"But you Rumiko! You're a great player at this game!" Monokuma said. "You've cheated death like five times already! Man, you have the lives of a cat!"

"Meow? A cat?" Meowykins asked, popping in next to Monokuma. "I hate cats! Meow!"

"Even though you make cat noises?" Are stammered.

"I do? Meow?"

"Anyways, are you here to give us the Monokuma File?" Yujiro asked. "Didn't you say you'd give it to us after every murder?"

"Did I?" Monokuma asked. "Oh yes, I did. Here you go! I added it to the Monokuma File Archives. You can locate that in your ElectroID, which contains all of the Monokuma Files added so far."

...

_**===Monokuma File Archive===**_

Choose a Monokuma File:

+ Monokuma File 1

+** Monokuma File 2**

…_loading_

…_loading_

_Complete!_

=== Victim – Etsuya Yamamura

=== Time of Death – 7:00 PM

=== Method to Murder – Was drowned.

=== Additional Details – None to be spoken of.

…

"Good luck, everyone!" Monokuma chuckled. "I look forward to our class trial!"

Etsuya Yamamura… the death of him left everyone with a strange response. Were we sad that someone else died? Were we happy that the biggest asshole of the group left us? No, I hope none of us feel that way. Death is death… and it's not pretty. If I save Etsuya this time… when we meet again… will he be our friend? Or will he still be our foe?

Either way, there's only one way to find out.

To avenge Etsuya Yamamura.

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

**===INVESTIGATION…START===**

[First off, I should take note of the Monokuma File.]

_**== Monokuma File #2 has been added as ammunition. (1)**_

[Okay, so the cause of death. The Monokuma File says that it was by drowning, and Etsuya's head is deep inside the fountain. Is that how he was drowned?]

…

[Just like last time, I should take a look at Etsuya's body. God, it's so disgusting, seeing a dead body… I can barely look at it.]

…

[Okay, there's some blood splattered on the edge of the fountain. But his head is hunched over inside the fountain, so I can't imagine that his _stomach_ resulted in all of that blood. So how did the bloodstain get on the fountain?]

YUJIRO: Take a closer look at his body, Rumiko.

RUMIKO: Huh?

YUJIRO: I can tell what you're thinking…

YUJIRO: Um, I hope that didn't sound creepy.

[He can tell what I'm thinking, huh? So I should take a closer look at his body?]

[Eww… lifting Etsuya's dead head. I feel like I'm disrespecting him and my hand.]

…

[Hold on! There's a big red bruise on his chin!]

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Hmm…

[…Either way, if it corresponds to the blood marks on the edge of the fountain… then this chin mark is important. How it happened is a different story.]

_**== Etsuya's Chin Injury has been added as ammunition. (2)**_

_**== Blood Marks on Fountain have been added as ammunition. (3)**_

TAIKAN: Hey… Rumiko… can you tell me something?

RUMIKO: What is it?

TAIKAN: When I was walking out of the food court, I saw you exit the roof. Did you happen to see anyone?

RUMIKO: You saw me?

RUMIKO: Do you suspect me..?

TAIKAN: Of course not, you're too kind for anything like that!

TAIKAN: No, it's just that, if you walked down from the roof…

TAIKAN: I don't know. I just thought that you might have seen something important.

RUMIKO: …Well, I saw Yujiro and Tatsuya walking towards the corpse.

RUMIKO: Yujiro seemed panicked, and the two of them ran as fast as they could.

RUMIKO: A few moments later, I heard the Corpse Discovery Announcement.

TAIKAN: …Hmm…

TAIKAN: Hey, what time did you go on the roof?

RUMIKO: I was up there for maybe ten minutes?

TAIKAN: Um, what were you doing up there for that long?

RUMIKO: …It was peaceful.

RUMIKO: I haven't breathed in fresh air for who knows how long.

TAIKAN: Right.

TAIKAN: Of course, I probably would've done the same.

TAIKAN: Fresh air is like my drug, being stuck in an airplane for so long, you know?

_**== Rumiko's Timeline of Events has been added as ammunition. (4)**_

TAIKAN: Alright, thanks for the help.

RUMIKO: No problem.

[I should look around the crime scene. If I recall, there was a blood stain on the floor near the fountain too, wasn't there?]

…

[Aha! There it is! There's a blood stain… it's positioned lower than the skateboard, so, does that mean that something happened with him and his skateboard? There's a tire popper near the blood stain too. Gosh, this is confusing.]

_**== Skateboard has been added as ammunition. (5)**_

_**== Tire Popper has been added as ammunition. (6)**_

_**== Blood Stain near Fountain has been added as ammunition. (7)**_

YUJIRO: Hey, Rumiko, come over here.

[Why is he by the shower monitor..? Miyoko is there too.]

YUJIRO: Did you see anyone use the shower today?

RUMIKO: Oh, no.

RUMIKO: But Etsuya might've.

YUJIRO: Huh?

MIYOKO: The victim?

RUMIKO: I saw Etsuya leaving the roof, which is why I went there in the first place.

RUMIKO: He was extremely dirty.

RUMIKO: Is the counter number at "one?" That might have been why.

MIYOKO: …Your story, only partially correlates to what we have found.

RUMIKO: Huh?

MIYOKO: You see, the counter number is set at "two," meaning that the shower was used twice instead of once.

RUMIKO: …But, if it wasn't Etsuya…

MIYOKO: Perhaps he accidentally turned it off once, and then turned it on once more?

YUJIRO: No, I doubt that's the case.

RUMIKO: Why is that?

YUJIRO: …

YUJIRO: Haha, it's just a hunch…

[A hunch..? I'm not sure if that's good enough..?]

_**== Shower Monitor Number has been added as ammunition. (8)**_

_**== Yujiro's Hunch has been added as ammunition. (9)**_

MIYOKO: Either way, perhaps it is of importance that we search the shower shop.

YUJIRO: I'll go check out the roof while you guys check out the shower shop.

MIYOKO: Why the roof?

YUJIRO: There has to be a reason why Etsuya went up to the roof…

YUJIRO: There are just some things figured out.

RUMIKO: What about our investigation..?

YUJIRO: Oh, that?

[What the hell do you mean, "oh, that?"]

YUJIRO: …I think I have another good sense of what's going on.

YUJIRO: Though… I'm not sure… so I won't say it.

RUMIKO: Holy hell… that's not good enough!

YUJIRO: …Sorry. That's just how I am.

RUMIKO: Alright, alright…

RUMIKO: We'll figure it out soon enough anyways.

MIYOKO: Either way, we shall need some help to explore this… realm.

RUMIKO: …Do we really?

DAWN: I shall be of assistance.

RUMIKO: Woah… when did you get here?

DAWN: Just a few moments ago. I was lurking around, looking for a way to help.

MIYOKO: Alright then. Let us head inside.

_**Location: The Shower Shop | Time: 7:34 PM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

RUMIKO: It's steamy in here.

DAWN: Most likely because the shower has been used.

MIYOKO: So it has.

MIYOKO: Alright, let us start our investigation.

[…Other than the steam, there's nothing really important or out of place, is there?]

MIYOKO: So the type of shower… it's a bathtub shower hybrid. It can act as a bath, and it can act as a shower. Interesting.

RUMIKO: Is that really important?

DAWN: …So it has been used… why is the shower not wet?

RUMIKO: You're right… this is the only shower here, but the insides of the shower has been completely wiped dry.

MIYOKO: It is still a little moist. The killer must have been in a hurry.

RUMIKO: …Yeah. I saw Etsuya just a few moments before I went to the roof, so…

DAWN: When did you see him?

RUMIKO: Maybe a minute before he walked this way? I don't really know…

DAWN: So you went up the roof at what time?

RUMIKO: It was around 6:54, I think.

DAWN: And you were up there until…

RUMIKO: Around 7:00. I saw Yujiro and Tatsuya, and waited for them. Then it was about 7:02. It took me two minutes to get there, which was 7:04. After 7:04, I was there waiting for the others for about six minutes, which took me to 7:10.

DAWN: …I see.

DAWN: This case has just gotten more confusing.

RUMIKO: Is that what you have to say..?

_**Rumiko's Timeline has been reloaded. A new description has been made.**_

MIYOKO: If this were the case, then the time of death is of importance, isn't it?

DAWN: In this case, Rumiko is a key part. She left the roof just minutes before Etsuya's body was found.

RUMIKO: The time of death was 7:00…

DAWN: Let's think about this carefully.

…

RUMIKO: I went up to the roof at 6:54. I stayed there for about six minutes and came down at 7:00. That was when Etsuya was murdered. I saw Yujiro and Tatsuya panic and run to the fountain, and I waited for them there. After I heard the Corpse Discovery Announcement, I ran to the scene of the crime, which took us to 7:04. We waited until 7:10. That about sums things up?

…

MIYOKO: But… how does the time of death tie into all of this?

DAWN: Etsuya was instantly murdered, and then the killer hid. The Corpse Discovery Announcement was heard and they slipped into the crowd.

RUMIKO: But it couldn't have really been a closed door murder… Etsuya was killed wide open in the plaza.

MIYOKO: ...So…

_Soundtrack: Monokuma Sensei's Lesson_

MONOKUMA: Ugh! Wow! What? Butt! Freckle!

RUMIKO: Uh…

MONOKUMA: How can all of you be so dumb? Honestly… are you guys that dull in the brain?

MIYOKO: What are you talking about..?

MONOKUMA: Zip! The time of death has nothing to do with this!

MIYOKO: But… Rumiko –

MONOKUMA: You guys are acting so pitiful, I felt like it was my responsibility as a bear to give you a little booster.

MONOKUMA: But I don't really want to spell things out for you!

MIYOKO: Rumiko's testimony narrows down the possible time of death. Doesn't that count?

MONOKUMA: It really shouldn't make a huge impact to anything. In fact, I recorded the time of death in the Monokuma File, didn't I?

MIYOKO: Are you saying… you wouldn't have if the time of death was important to anything?

MONOKUMA: You've got that right on the nose!

MONOKUMA: Sigh… I'm giving away way too much information to fill that empty shell in your heads.

MONOKUMA: Can you guys take it from here? Do I have to spell things out again?

RUMIKO: You didn't spell anything out for us..!

MONOKUMA: Whaddya mean? I gave you a life breaking hint!

RUMIKO: The time of death was 7:00, wasn't it? That's all we needed to know.

DAWN: But the murder had to happen between 6:54 to 7:00.

MIYOKO: Then the body needed to be discovered immediately after that, as Yujiro and Tatsuya discovered the body at 7:02.

MONOKUMA: …

MONOKUMA: Sigh.

[Monokuma disappears.]

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia_

RUMIKO: …Honestly, what was that?

DAWN: …

MIYOKO: I believe we are done here, then.

RUMIKO: Yeah…

RUMIKO: …

MIYOKO: Does something bother you?

RUMIKO: I was just thinking… why would the killer kill Etsuya? Besides his personality?

MIYOKO: The motive might have had an impact.

RUMIKO: But what was the motive, really? It was just a flipbook of a baby being run over by a car.

RUMIKO: It's brutal, but it shouldn't have made an impact to actually kill..!

MIYOKO: …

MIYOKO: I suppose we should take a look at it.

MIYOKO: Dawn?

DAWN: …There's something I would like to investigate in this shower room.

DAWN: I feel uneasy. You two go ahead.

MIYOKO: Very well.

MIYOKO: Shall we go, Rumiko?

RUMIKO: Yeah.

_**Location: The Concert Hall | Time: 7:50 PM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

[…Good, the flipbook is still on stage!]

RUMIKO: There it is.

MIYOKO: Excuse me, isn't that Tatsuya and Taikan over there?

[…Oh yeah, it is.]

MIYOKO: Forgive me for pointing.

RUMIKO: N-no… it's not a big deal…

MIYOKO: But there is no honor in pointing..!

RUMIKO: I said it was fine…

RUMIKO: Tatsuya! Taikan! Over here!

TATSUYA: R-Rumiko?

TATSUYA: What is it..?

RUMIKO: What are you doing here? Investigating the flipbook like us?

TATSUYA: Y-yeah… I don't get it.

TAIKAN: Doesn't make much sense to me.

TATSUYA: It's a picture of a baby getting run over by a car, so…

RUMIKO: …Let's take a closer look, then.

RUMIKO: Alright… let's see…

[Just flip the pages, Rumiko… the animation will be shown.]

…

…

…

RUMIKO: It's the same thing. A baby is being run over by a car.

TATSUYA: I-I can't put my finger on it. Does it have something important to do with this murder..?

MIYOKO: This is hardly worth calling a motive.

TATSUYA: …Hey.

TATSUYA: That car is… pretty big…

RUMIKO: …Yeah.

TATSUYA: How many kids are in there..?

RUMIKO: …It looks like… fourteen.

TATSUYA: Fourteen, huh?

RUMIKO: Yeah.

TATSUYA: …Is… that… Etsuya?

RUMIKO: Huh?

TATSUYA: Look… he's behind the wheel.

MIYOKO: How do you know that's Etsuya?

TATSUYA: He's wearing a skateboard helmet. His facial expressions are just like real life.

TATSUYA: And his shirt is stained in the same spot…

MIYOKO: …Is that me?

RUMIKO: Huh?

MIYOKO: My hair is styled in that picture, just like in real life.

MIYOKO: And I'm wearing armor… it looks like my normal armor.

RUMIKO: I-is that you..?

MIYOKO: …And that looks like Dawn. She's wearing a sweatshirt just like her.

RUMIKO: …You're right. Each and every one of these matches someone in here.

MIYOKO: Why is that..?

TATSUYA: M-maybe, the baby is important..?

RUMIKO: …

MIYOKO: …

TATSUYA: A-alright, I was wrong… don't have to give me the silent treatment…

TATSUYA: But, hey… Lucy is missing, isn't she?

RUMIKO: …

TAIKAN: Lucy is missing..?

TAIKAN: ...Hey, doesn't everyone have long hair here?

RUMIKO: Yeah…

TAIKAN: And this isn't colored?

TATSUYA: Y-you don't even need good eyesight to see that!

TAIKAN: …

TAIKAN: I'm going to think about things here.

RUMIKO: Huh?

TAIKAN: Something… doesn't fit.

TAIKAN: What is it..?

[Something doesn't fit? What wouldn't fit?]

_**== Flipbook Animation added as ammunition (10)**_

_**== People in Car added as ammunition (11)**_

RUMIKO: Hey, Tatsuya… are you okay?

TATSUYA: Huh?

RUMIKO: Your injuries, I mean.

TATSUYA: O-oh… I'm fine…

TATSUYA: I guess I should be sort of thankful for them.

RUMIKO: …Huh?

TATSUYA: Yeah… it's because of my hospitalization. I knew the motive was involved.

MIYOKO: What do you mean?

TATSUYA: When I was in my bed, it was positioned to look straight out the glass doors acting as the entrance to the hospital.

TATSUYA: A-and I saw some people go into the Concert Hall.

TATSUYA: I can't imagine it being for anything other than checking out the motive.

RUMIKO: Who went in?

TATSUYA: It was… Lucy, Yujiro, Nanao, Teruyo, Hideyoshi, and Dawn… they all checked out the motive for sure.

MIYOKO: …Does that make them suspects?

TATSUYA: Y-yeah… it has to make them suspects!

TATSUYA: I-I figured something out, huh..? It feels good to be useful.

[You don't sound that excited.]

_**== Tatsuya's Testimony added as ammunition (12)**_

MIYOKO: It appears we've reached some sort of conclusion?

TATSUYA: H-hold on! I just realized something..!

MIYOKO: Yes?

TATSUYA: Lucy is missing from the picture, isn't she..?

TATSUYA: And I saw her go into the concert hall to check the motive.

MIYOKO: …I see.

MIYOKO: Since she's missing from the motive… does it relate directly to her?

RUMIKO: I see! So… that baby… it involves Lucy somehow?

MIYOKO: But I feel that the motive is too vague to give off any real threat.

MIYOKO: We don't even know if Lucy did know a baby who died.

TAIKAN: …Yeah.

TAIKAN: …So maybe we should look into this more.

TAIKAN: …Yeah.

[Why so many pauses..?]

RUMIKO: …You guys go ahead. I'm going off to investigate somewhere else.

TAIKAN: Where?

RUMIKO: I want to know why Etsuya was going on that roof…

MIYOKO: Is that important right now?

RUMIKO: Well, I don't know… but it might help. Besides, Yujiro is up there, so…

TAIKAN: …Oh! I see…

[Another pause..!]

TAIKAN: Rumiko-neechan! You llllike him..?

[Neechan?!]

RUMIKO: N-no! I just feel it's dangerous being alone up there..!

TAIKAN: …Whatever you see, neechan..! Hehe…

[Again with neechan…]

TAIKAN: We'll be – or, at least I'll be – investigating down here, so be careful, okay?

MIYOKO: Report to us and the others if you find out anything.

RUMIKO: I'll be off now.

[Etsuya… if you never went to the roof, would your life have been saved?]

_**Location: Rooftop | Time: 8:21 PM | Chapter Two | Day Six**_

YUJIRO: Oh, Rumiko. You came up here?

RUMIKO: It's cold…

YUJIRO: Yeah… want my jacket?

RUMIKO: Uh, no.

YUJIRO: Wow, you might be even colder than the wind.

RUMIKO: Shut up. Did you find anything?

YUJIRO: About why Etsuya came up here? Well, I found some interesting things, that's for sure.

RUMIKO: What interesting things?

YUJIRO: You see that air vent over there? It's open.

RUMIKO: So?

YUJIRO: You know in spy movies – they'll go down the air vent for some reason to spy on others?

RUMIKO: Yeah?

YUJIRO: Well, I did that. It was pretty fun, even though it was cramped!

RUMIKO: The hell..? Why'd you do that?

YUJIRO: I don't know.

[What..?]

YUJIRO: But hey, I figured something out.

YUJIRO: Etsuya must have used the vent at some point too.

RUMIKO: …What?

YUJIRO: See, when I was going down the air vent, I noticed that it was actually strangely clean.

YUJIRO: You'd expect to see some dust and spider webs, but there wasn't any.

RUMIKO: …Yeah, I did see Etsuya coming down from the roof a lot of times. He was actually real dirty.

YUJIRO: And I followed the air vent down a certain path, and it led to a door.

RUMIKO: A door?

YUJIRO: A door in an isolated section of the mall. You couldn't reach it, nonetheless see it, if you were a regular customer here.

RUMIKO: Or in our case, a regular prisoner.

YUJIRO: I think Etsuya was going to that door predominantly. The air vent near the door was already opened up anyways.

YUJIRO: I didn't have to do anything to open it.

RUMIKO: So, he was reporting to that door? But why?

YUJIRO: I don't know. But on the way, I also found this key in the air vents.

RUMIKO: A key?

YUJIRO: I figured I could leave it behind, but when I reached the door, I realized that the key opens up that specific door.

RUMIKO: Really?! Is that a hint to get out of here?!

YUJIRO: It could be.

_Soundtrack: AoE Second Suite Movement 5P + 3P_

MEOWYKINS: No, it isn't, y'all! Meow!

RUMIKO: M-Meowykins?

MEOWYKINS: I'm telling you, meow! That, meow, door, meow, has, meow, nothing, meow, to, meow, do, meow, with, meow, you, meow!

YUJIRO: Haha…that's more meows than usual!

MEOWYKINS: Shut up, kid!

MEOWYKINS: Anyways, don't even think about going through that vent, you hear me?

RUMIKO: Why not?

MEOWYKINS: …

MEOWYKINS: Well –

_Soundtrack: Miss Monomi's Practice Lesson_

MONOMI: Because it is vewy important!

RUMIKO: M-Monomi..?

MONOMI: Yes! It is vewy important, so do not enter! Do not enter!

MONOMI: It was a mistake for Etsuya to enter, so do not enter!

MEOWYKINS: Meow! You totally revealed a big secret!

MONOMI: …

MONOMI: Oh no!

RUMIKO: Wait, I thought you were on our side, Monomi…

MONOMI: But I am!

MONOMI: But that door shall never be opened..! Do not open that door..!

MEOWYKINS: Save it, you already ruined everything! Ruff!

YUJIRO: Hey! You barked!

MEOWYKINS: I… "barked?"

MEOWYKINS: …

MONOMI: …

RUMIKO: …

MEOWYKINS: Meow!

YUJIRO: Huh. Back to meowing.

MEOWYKINS: Anyways, we got to go! Let's go, Monomi!

MONOMI: Right!

_Soundtrack: Ikoroshia _

RUMIKO: …Alright then.

RUMIKO: I think we're done here.

_**== Air Vents were added as ammunition. (13)**_

_**== Key was added as ammunition. (14)**_

_**== The Door was added as ammunition. (15)**_

_**== Meowykins and Monomi's Interaction was added as ammunition. (16)**_

YUJIRO: I wonder… why Etsuya came up here?

RUMIKO: Who knows. We'll figure it out at the trial, I guess.

_*Ding, dong! Ding, dong!*_

MONOKUMA: Eh, attention! Since two boneheads over here decided to spill the beans, we're starting the class trial early today!

RUMIKO: What..? Already..?

MONOKUMA: So bring your best trial spirit! We'll see you at the fountain!

* * *

The fountain… it's where we met the first time to consider Junichi's death. It's where we're going to meet again for Etsuya's death.

I walked to the fountain with Yujiro close beside me. The two of us were silent on the way there, disregarding every fact that we'd have to go through this again. But the two of us were survivalists, so we'd have to survive through this.

Monokuma was standing on top of the fountain, and as he waved at us, we ignored him and prepared to go into the eye of the tiger. The fountain moved aside as our classmates came one by one, and as we climbed down the dark stairway, my stomach began to tighten.

We have to do this again..? Why us..?

Why do we have to go through this class trial?

Is it really necessary for us?

To live, or to die?

_**Continued in Chapter 2: Class Trial**_


End file.
